1. What is the advantage of phosphates in cleaning applications?

Phosphates soften the water to allow better cleaning from surfactants and other ingredients. Sodium tripolyphosphate in particular is a multi-functional ingredient that provides water softening by sequestration, alkalinity, and soil dispersion.

2. What is the meaning of phase content in sodium tripolyphosphate?

Anhydrous sodium tripolyphosphate can exist in two different crystalline forms and this is determine by the process conditions at the time of manufacture. The two forms are referred arbitrarily as "Phase-1" and "Phase-2." The Phase-2 crystals have almost perfect sodium coordination in its lattice and tend to dissolve slow in water. Phase-1 crystals, in the other hand, deviate a little from perfect coordination and tend to dissolve faster in water with the release of more energy.

3. What parameters define the various grades of sodium tripolyphosphate?

ICL Performance Products LP produces several grades of STPP, each with a different combination of granularity, density, moisture and phase content.

4. What types of phosphates are available from ICL Performance Products LP?

ICL Performance Products LP makes sodium and potassium salts of orthophosphate, pyrophosphate and tripolyphosphate. Also, sodium salts of long chain polyphosphates are produced under the trade name of Sodaphos®, Hexaphos® and Glass H®.

5. What are the differences between orthophosphoric acid and polyphosphoric acid?

While orthophosphoric acid is made up of only individual PO4 units, polyphosphoric acid also includes long-chain polymerized units. A key feature in polyphosphoric acid is the absence of free water and unique reactivity in organic systems.

6. What kind of technical literature is available from ICL Performance Products LP?

ICL Performance Products LP makes available to its customer several technical bulletins and brochures discussing its products and applications. This includes bulletins on the chemistry and properties of each of its products as well as brochures on applications in metal cleaning and treating, water treatment, electronics, detergents, asphalt and many others. Please check the literature section in this site for a comprehensive list of publications.

7. I need assistance in formulating a new product. What kind of help can I get from ICL Performance Products LP?

ICL Performance Products LP technical staff has over 100 years of combined experience in product formulation. They will be happy to assist you in developing your product, from starting formulations, analyses and evaluation.

8. I need assistance in analyzing your product.

ICL Performance Products LP will be happy to share with you the analytical methodology used for each and everyone of the parameters listed in the certificate of analyses.

Please contact our technical group as described in this site.

If you didn’t see the answer to your question, please email us at info@icl-pplp.com

or call (800) 244-6169.