Chemical company Solvay has launched a next-generation shortstop inhibitor solution to prevent runaway polymerisation in acrylic and methacrylic acids, esters and other monomers whilst in storage and being transported.
When stored incorrectly, runaway polymerisation and uncontrollable reactions can occur in such feedstocks, generating large quantities of heat which can result in fire, explosion and tank rupture. Solvay’s new product, Phenothiazine (PTZ) LVT 2330 is suitable for use in bulk storage facilities, transportation tanks and containers.
Phenothiazine LVT 2330 contains 30% PTZ dissolved into Solvay’s proprietary solvent Rhodiasolv Polarclean HSP, a green solvent developed as an alternative to n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), which is commonly used as a solvent for shortstop inhibitors, but is now considered a substance of very high concern (SVHC) under EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulations. Phenothiazine LVT 2330 is easier to handle than solutions of NMP, with a lower freezing point, making it ideal for colder climates. Additionally, the high active PTZ concentration of Phenothiazine LVT 2330 permits deployment and storage of the efficient and economic shortstop in both large and small installations.
‘We see a great market potential for this pioneering shortstop inhibitor with a non-toxic and non-volatile solvent for the acrylics markets in North America and Europe, where chemical toxicity is of increasing concern to the industry and authorities. However, Asia offers the greatest potential where shortstop inhibitors were not standard and have only recently been more widely accepted and used to help reduce the risk of accidents,’ says Lars Fischer, worldwide technical market manager at Solvay.
