Precision Cleaning in the 21st Century

Rajat Basu, Ryan Hulse, Kane Cook and Diana Mercier
Honeywell International
Buffalo, NY USA

As we progress in the 21st century, electronics manufacturing will need more and more precision. Parts will get more complex since more components have to be assembled in smaller spaces. Circuit boards and other electronic assemblies will become more densely populated; spacings between components will be shorter. This will require precision manufacturing and efficient cleaning during and post manufacturing. In addition, with population and technology progressing, larger amount of greenhouse gases will be emitted resulting in higher global warming. Intense research effort is going on to develop new generation of chemicals to address both cleaning and global warming issues. Low global warming solutions in refrigeration and as insulating agents are already in the marketplace. This paper will detail the development of a new very low global warming potential environmentally friendly non-flammable solvent with excellent cleaning abilities. Environmental properties, cleaning efficacies, stability in various conditions, and compatibility with plastics, elastomers, and metals of the solvent will also be described in this paper.

In this paper we have demonstrated that a new solvent 1233zd(E) or trans-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluro-1-propene showed excellent promise as a solvent for defluxing and other cleaning applications. It has better environmental and toxicity properties compared with many other solvents in the marketplace today. It is also a stable, non-flammable product with reasonable compatibility with materials. Presently 1233zd(E) registration for solvent and other uses is underway in many countries. This solvent will be sold in the solvent marketplace under the tradename Solstice Performance Fluid.