[labnetwork] Hot Phosphoric PPE

[Tony L Olsen]

Brandon

I know there are better Safety Experts than me, but here is my opinion.

First, I avoid bib-style aprons entirely and only use full-sleeve aprons.  Surprisingly, that eliminates MOST available products.  It would seem to me most exposure to chemicals will be the chest and arms.  Bibs offer marginal protection to the chest and none to the shoulders and arms.  Hence, my focus on full-sleeve aprons.  (Sleevelets/arm guards are more trouble than they are worth and still leave the upper arms and shoulders unprotected.)

Second, I think the biggest problem with hot phosphoric is the hot part.  The apron you reference is a PVC apron.  One reference I found shows PVC has good (not excellent) protection for phosphoric acid.  However, it also melts at 100°C and has a maximum operating temperature of 60°C.  This will be a problem for most products.  Additionally, the thicker the apron, the longer it will hold the heat from a splash, increasing the effect of the thermal burn.

I use Tychem-SL (aka, Tychem 4000) full-sleeve aprons for all my acid/base processing.  They provide better resistance to a broader range of chemicals, including phosphoric acid.  Unfortunately, I find no information on the melting temperature of the Saranex 23-P coating on these aprons.  There is not a single product that is appropriate for all chemicals and circumstances, but we’ve been pleased with this product as a reasonable compromise – even though it isn’t intended for cleanroom use.

Hope this helps a little,
tonyO


Tony Olsen
Nanofab Cleanroom Supervisor/Process Engineer
University of Utah
36 S Wasatch Dr, Suite 2500
Salt Lake City,  UT  84112
801-587-0651 office
801-587-3077 fax
www.nanofab.utah.edu<http://www.nanofab.utah.edu/>



From: Brandon Woo <woobc at lnf.umich.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2019 13:41
To: labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu
Subject: [labnetwork] Hot Phosphoric PPE

Hello all,

Does anyone have any recommendations on PPE for processing using hot phosphoric acid?

This is the apron that we are currently using: https://www.grainger.com/product/ANSELL-Chemical-Resistant-Bib-Apron-5EMD0

Thanks,
--
Brandon Woo

Engineer in Research Intermediate
Lurie Nanofabrication Facility
University of Michigan

1234 EECS
1301 Beal Ave
Ann Arbor, MI, 48105

woobc at lnf.umich.edu<mailto:woobc at lnf.umich.edu>
989-324-0620 (C)
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