Breaking Interfacial Tension – Part One

Part One: The Traditional Petroleum Standard

In the specialized world of carwash chemistry, people may think that innovations in hydrophobic technologies have peaked, but the standard drying technology is due for an upgrade. Oil microemulsions have served as the unchallenged drying aid standard for carwash operators over the last half-century. The chief example is a microemulsion of mineral seal oil (MSO) and quaternary ammonium emulsifiers like dicocodimonium chloride. While historically effective at shedding water, MSO formulations carry a long list of familiar complications that drain the entire supply chain. To understand why a shift in surface chemistry is long overdue, we must look at the problem from two distinct angles: the hidden production and raw material penalties hitting chemical manufacturers, and the real-world performance headaches plaguing carwash operators in the tunnel.

Issues for the Manufacturer (Blenders)

Continuing to manufacture MSO drying aids requires a labor-intensive manufacturing process along with a list of other complications. A stable microemulsion must be formulated and if raw material consistency fluctuates rework increases batch times and cost. Relying on MSO ties raw material costs directly to highly unpredictable global oil markets as well, hurting long-term pricing stability for clients. Furthermore, many MSO-formulations carry low flashpoints, introducing heavy regulatory friction regarding flammable liquid classifications, plant safety compliance, shipping logistics, and insurance costs. These formulas also have numerous hidden formulation cost penalties for blenders. MSO formulas come with limited performance claims and expensive additives are required to achieve any further product benefits. Additionally, these formulas break water aggressively into tiny micro-droplets that are difficult to remove even with the assistance of blowers. These remaining droplets leave the car wet, can cause water spotting, and lead to customer complaints; remedies for this issue come with additional costs to the formulation. To make matters worse, these legacy formulas possess limited dilution stability, which heavily restricts operational flexibility and application options for carwash operators. 

Issues for the Operator

Downstream field performance failures lead directly to operator headaches and customer complaints. Oily MSO residue builds up on bay floors, while also coating vehicle glass causing dangerous nighttime glare and windshield wiper smearing. These traditional formulas also suffer from physical instability and severe viscosity spikes in cold weather, causing chemical line gelling that triggers unscheduled tunnel shutdowns. Mineral seal oil raises wastewater costs and hinders modern water reclamation loops resulting in increased utility costs that continue to rise in areas prone to drought. MSO formulas operate within a narrow performance window where over-dosing leads to immediate water-break failure, heavy oil films, and unhappy carwash customers. Finally, the short-lived protection of these formulas leaves vehicles vulnerable to stubborn soil deposits, UV damage, and a water-break that immediately fades after leaving the carwash. Because soils adhere more thoroughly to unprotected surfaces, basic package customers often return with difficult-to-clean cars, making customer complaints more likely.

The era of mineral seal oil could be positioned for change, and there are solutions through Colonial Chemical for MSO-free, advanced ceramic-based innovations to grab a competitive edge. Part II details how Colonial Chemical’s modern surface chemistries will eliminate manufacturing and operator headaches, improve performance, and lower costs for blenders and carwash operators alike.

Recap

Mineral seal oil drying aid technology comes with a host of issues that should be familiar to manufacturers and carwash operators alike:

Manufacturing Challenges

• Labor intensive production related to microemulsion preparation
• Formulation required
• Limited performance claims
• Requires additives and other formulation costs
• Oil price volatility
• Flammability and associated operations costs

Operation Challenges

• Dilution-Performance failures
• Micro-droplets and water spotting 
• Oil residues 
• Instability and gelling 
• Wastewater costs and reclamation incompatibility 
• Low durability leads to difficult soil removal for return customers 

Part II will detail Colonial Chemical’s innovative technologies to resolve these troubles.