Selected Answers

From Guus van Wyk of PPG PMC bv on September 14, 2016:
And which states are that? I cannot grasp the relu ...read more And which states are that? I cannot grasp the reluctance of using MEK for a simple rub test. It takes no more than a few ml to do a test that will tell me that an inorganic zinc coating has been cured or not. A car passing by my house has in that 50 or so meters thrown out more rubbish from the engine. MEK works and we can interpret the outcome. Why spend good money and time while we have MEK?

From Steve Brunner of Indepenent on September 12, 2016:
To start out, MEK is a VOC and in some states it i ...read more To start out, MEK is a VOC and in some states it is still considered a HAP. With that I understand the reluctance to use it. The next solvent in the ketone family, acetone, is a decent alternative. The majority of the US has exempted this solvent from the definition of VOC. I have used this solvent in place of MEK in the past for solvent rub test with mixed results. Acetone can be slightly more aggressive than MEK for certain coating systems. The other issue with acetone is the high vapor pressure meaning the solvent may evaporate before completion of the test. Bottom line is any substitution  should be tried out on a sample board and agreed upon with all parties involved.