Trichloroethylene merupakan bahan kimia utama yang diproduksi dari asetilen. Bahan kimia lainnya selain di dapat dari asetilen yaitu acrylonitrile, vinyl chloride, dan monomer asetat. Trichloroethylene (C2HCl3) yang juga memiliki sifat tidak berwarna dan tidak mudah terbakar. Trichloroethylene banyak digunakan untuk pelapis pada logam sebelum proses electroplating, pelarut untuk ekstraksi pada zat-zat organik, pembersih dan pelarut, analgesik dan anastesi dalam bidang farmasi.
Trichloroethylene hampir sama dengan perkloroetilen, trichloroethylene biasa dibuat dengan menggunakan 3 proses, tapi yang paling utama trichloroethylene yang dibuat dengan etilene diklorit. Trichloroethylene diproduksi dengan alat single stage. Proses oxyclorinasi dari dichloride dan chlorine ethylene klorinasi dari hidrokarbonseperti propane dan asetilen. Klorin juga merupakan produk dari trichloroethylene. Bahan yang paling utama untuk membuat trichloroethylene adalah dikloroetilene.
Trichloroethylene ( TCE ) adalah cairn bening nonflammable, dengan bau yang agak manis, bila terkena kulit seperti rasa terbakar. TCE digunakan terutama sebagai pelarut untuk menghilangkan minyak dari bagian logam, tetapi juga bahan perekat, penghilang cat, cairan mesin tik koreksi, dan penghilang spot.
Trichloroethylene selain dapat digunakan untuk cuci kering (dry clean).
Trichloroethylene juga dapat digunakan untuk membuat beberapa peralatan / alat disebuah industri.
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Physical and chemical properties of trichloroethylene are presented in Table 1.
Trichloroethylene is miscible with most organic liquids including such common solvents as ether, alcohol, and chloroform, but is essentially insoluble in water. It is relatively volatile, with a vapor pressure of 7.6 kPa at 200C. The lower explosive limit of the vapor in air is 11 percent, and the upper explosive limit is 41 percent. The liquid does not have a flash point.
Trichloroethylene decomposes by atmospheric oxidation and degradation catalyzed by aluminum chloride. The decomposition products include compounds that are acidic and corrosive, such as hydrochloric acid. To prevent decomposition, commercial grades of TCE contain stabilizers such as amines, neutral inhibitor mixtures, and/or epoxides.
Trichloroethylene is produced domestically by two processes:
(1) direct chlorination of ethylene dichloride, and
(2) oxychlorination of ethylene dichloride.
By varying raw material ratios, trichloroethylene can be produced separately or as a coproduct of perchloroethylene (PCE). Of the two companies currently producing TCE, one company produces TCE separately using the direct chlorination process (PCE is produced as a by-product); the other produces TCE and PCE as coproducts using the oxychlorination process. Trichloroethylene may also be produced as a by-product during vinylidene chloride or ethylene dichloride/vinyl chloride monomer manufacture.
(1) direct chlorination of ethylene dichloride, and
(2) oxychlorination of ethylene dichloride.
By varying raw material ratios, trichloroethylene can be produced separately or as a coproduct of perchloroethylene (PCE). Of the two companies currently producing TCE, one company produces TCE separately using the direct chlorination process (PCE is produced as a by-product); the other produces TCE and PCE as coproducts using the oxychlorination process. Trichloroethylene may also be produced as a by-product during vinylidene chloride or ethylene dichloride/vinyl chloride monomer manufacture.
The major end use of TCE is as an organic solvent for industrial degreasing; about 85 percent of the TCE supply is used in vapor degreasing and another 5 percent is used in cold cleaning. These processes are used in many industrial processes such as the manufacture of automobiles, electronics, furniture, appliances, jewelry, and plumbing fixtures.
Approximately five percent of the TCE supply is used as a chain- length modifier in the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The remaining TCE (5 percent) is consumed in other solvent and miscellaneous applications. These applications include use (1) as a solvent in adhesive formulations; (2) as a solvent in paints and coatings; and (3) in miscellaneous chemical synthesis and solvent applications.
Trichloroethylene and PCE are used in miscellaneous chemical synthesis and solvent applications. For example, TCE is used as a reactant to produce pesticide intermediates. An estimated 3,670 Mg of TCE were consumed for this purpose by the pesticide industry in 1984. Trichloroethylene may also be used in the chemical synthesis of flame- retardant chemicals; as a solvent in pharmaceutical manufacture; as a solvent in waterless preparation, dying, and finishing operations in the textile industry; and as a carrier solvent in formulated consumer products such as insecticides, fungicides, typewriter correction fluids, paint removers, and paint strippers.
