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Detailed Product Description:

A colorless non-flammable liquid with chloroform-like odor.  Miscible in most

oils and alcohol.  Insoluble in water.  Commonly used as a degreasing solvent

for metal parts and precision instruments.

This is a synthetic compound that does not occur naturally in the environment.  

It also is known as methylchloroform, methyltrichloromethane, trichloromethylmethane,

and á−trichloromethane.  Its registered trade names include Chloroethene NU® and

Aerothene TT®, Solvent 111 and Genklene.

Applications:

This is an excellent solvent for many organic materials and also one of the least

toxic of the chlorinated hydrocarbons.  It was commonly used for cleaning metal

parts and circuit boards, as a photoresist solvent in the electronics industry, as an

aerosol propellant, as a cutting fluid additive, and as a solvent for inks, paints,

adhesives, and other coatings.

It is very effective at safely removing PVC from copper and silver coins that

have been stored in PVC containers for several years.  

It was also the standard cleaner for photographic film (movie/slide/negatives, etc).  It

had the property of being able to clean almost anything off of film, without softening

or otherwise damaging the emulsion.  Other commonly available solvents damage

emulsion, and thus are not suitable for this application.  The standard replacement,

Forane 141 is much less effective, and tends to leave a residue.  

Background:

1,1,1-trichloroethane is generally considered as a non-polar solvent, but since all

three electronegative chlorine atoms lie on the same side of the molecule, it is slightly

polar, making it a good solvent for organics that do not dissolve into totally non-polar

substances such as hexane.  

Current Product Status:

This is now an EPA-regulated chemical due to its ozone-depleting properties.

U.S. production was stopped in 1996 and, though not prohibited, it is taxed

heavily and is now available only in small quantities.

Precautions:

Irritant to eyes, nose and skin.  TLV = 350 ppm

Click here to download MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)

Although not as toxic as many similar compounds, inhaled or ingested,

1,1,1-trichloroethane does act as a central nervous system depressant and can cause

effects similar to those of intoxication, including dizziness, confusion, and in

sufficiently high concentrations, unconsciousness and death.

Prolonged skin contact with the liquid can result in the removal of fats from the

skin, resulting in chronic skin irritation.

Studies on laboratory animals have shown that 1,1,1-trichloroethane is not retained

in the body for long periods of time.  However, chronic exposure has been linked to

abnormalities in the liver, kidneys, and heart.  Pregnant women should avoid exposure,

as the compound has been linked to birth defects in laboratory animals.  The substance

is deadly to insects.

It will not build up in plants or animals.  The International Agency for Research on

Cancer (IARC) and the EPA have determined that 1,1,1-trichloroethane is

not classifiable as a human carcinogen.

Packaging:

Comes packed in 100ml amber glass bottle.