Information on dissolution media for copper corrosion inhibitors mainly covers specific inhibitors such as Benzotriazole (BTA) and Tolyltriazole (TTA).
Below is a summary of the most common dissolution media for copper corrosion inhibitors:
Benzotriazole (BTA): It is sparingly soluble in water and readily soluble in organic solvents such as ethanol, acetone and benzene. Such organic solvents can assist BTA to disperse in aqueous solutions, which is suitable for scenarios where it needs to be incorporated into aqueous‑phase systems, e.g. cooling water and antifreeze fluids.
Tolyltriazole (TTA): In circulating‑water systems, it is normally added after being dissolved in alcohols or alkali, indicating its solubility in organic solvents including alcohols.
Tolyltriazole (TTA): For application in circulating‑water systems, it shall be dissolved in alcohols or alkali prior to addition, which indicates that alkaline media also serve as one of the important media for its dissolution and dispersion.
Water (requires auxiliary dispersion)
Although some copper corrosion inhibitors (e.g. BTA) are sparingly soluble in water, they can be dispersed in aqueous solutions with the aid of surfactants or organic solvents (e.g. the aforementioned organic solvents and alcohols), and thereby be used indirectly with water as the medium. For instance, the application of BTA in water treatment (such as cooling water and boiler water) relies on this type of dispersion method.
Acidic Medium (for specific application scenarios)
For acid pickling corrosion inhibitors (e.g. hydrochloric‑acid pickling inhibitors of imidazoline type), they are directly dissolved in acid solutions (such as hydrochloric acid) for use. They function in acidic media to suppress metal corrosion caused by acid. Although such inhibitors are mainly applied in acidic environments, the acid solution itself serves as their dissolution medium.
Summary: The most common dissolution media for copper corrosion inhibitors are organic solvents (ethanol, acetone, etc.), alkaline solutions, water (with auxiliary dispersion required), and acidic media (for specific pickling scenarios).
Different types of copper corrosion inhibitors (e.g. BTA, TTA, MBT) may show slight preferences in the selection of dissolution media due to differences in chemical structures. Nevertheless, the above‑mentioned four categories represent general and widely‑used medium types.