Aerosol propellants
For its own products and for the products manufactured for contractual partners, the AVEFLOR , a.s. company uses a wide range of aerosol propellants used in the aerosol industry:
PROPANE-BUTANE
The most often used aerosol propellant for a water-free environment or for products with small water content is liquefied gas of propane-butane as a mixture of a-butane, propane and isobutane. By the combination of these substances with regard to their different physical-chemical parameters, the producers of aerosol preparations achieve required pressure inside aerosol cans, which ensure their problem-free use for the end customer. In our company, propane-butane is used as an aerosol propellant most often for hair-sprays and styling mousses, for deodorants and antiperspirants and for various veterinary preparations.
DIMETHYLETHER
Thanks to its partial solubility and good tolerance of water, dimethylether is used as an aerosol propellant in aerosol preparations with a higher content of water. In comparison with propane-butane in terms of flammability, it has such an advantage that despite being flammable itself, when mixed with water it is not flammable. A certain disadvantage can be its higher price. This disadvantage is partially compensated by the possibility of using water as a solvent in aerosol preparations, the water being cheaper than the usually used solvents as for example ethylalcohol. In our company, dimethylether is used as an aerosol propellant for example for air-fresheners and special painting aerosol products.
CO2 and NITROGENE
The third group of aerosol propellants used in the AVEFLOR company is composed of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Their undoubted advantage is their low price and the possibility of using in particular nitrogen as an aerosol propellant for aerosol cans, two-coated or equipped with a moving piston or for aerosol can with a bag included and connected with a valve, the “bag on valve” system. This group of aerosol propellants is used in particular for filling of cosmetic aerosol preparations, which are put under heavy demands in terms of smell tests, for example face fresheners and such. As far as nitrogen and special aerosol systems are concerned, their normal use is for example in shaving foams and gels.
AIR
In terms of price, the most beneficial aerosol propellant is air, its use, however, being limited. In the AVEFLOR company, it is used mostly for contractual partners for example for filling of fire extinguishing sprays. Furthermore, it can replace nitrogen as an aerosol propellant for fillings described in the section above.
TETRAFLUORETHAN
Tetrafluoethan is used as an aerosol propellant in particular for medical devices and also where the composition of active solutions to be filled so requires. It is delivered to our company under the business name Solkane 134, its undoubted advantage is the fact that it is non-flammable.
ISOPENTANE
Isopentane is used as a gas into the shaving gels and other creams.