Metalworking

Overview
Polypropylene glycols and polyglycol copolymers and their derivatives are used as ingredients in many metalworking and lubricating formulations. Benefits provided by these products include water solubility, low volatility, and natural lubricity. They offer a distinct advantage over conventional lubricant bases, because the part being machined can be easily cleaned with water. Unlike mineral oils, they will not leave a residue or stain the metal part.

Products
The following products can be used in metalworking applications. Although each product has unique properties based on molecular weight and the monomer used, they all share some common properties.

Specific Applications
Specific uses in metalworking applications include:

• buffing and polishing compounds
• cutting and grinding fluids
• lubricants for metal stamping, rolling and forming

Complex esters, prepared using lower molecular weight polyglycols and succinic, sebacic, or similar acids, are used as synthetic lubricants in the preparation of steel for stamping, forming, and drawing operations.

Also see UCON™ Fluids and Water Soluble SYNALOX* Fluids for metalworking. CARBOWAX™ PEGs and MPEGs are also used in metalworking.

†Trademark of Dow Quimica S.A.
®™^* Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow