Ice melter
Description
Any of several products that contain a mixture of salts or other water soluble compounds used to melt ice from roads, sidewalks, and airplane wings. Solutions lower the freezing point of water by disrupting the formation of the crystalline structure of water. Examples are:
- Ammonium sulfate: to -7C, damages concrete
- Calcium chloride: to -29C, melts fast, hygroscopic, may re-ice
- calcium magnesium acetate (CMA): to -9C, safest for concrete/plants
- Magnesium chloride: to -15C, melts fast, hygroscopic
- Potassium acetate: to -9C, biodegradable, corrosive
- Potassium chloride: to -7C, damages concrete, kills plants
- Sodium chloride: to -9C, keeps sidewalks dry, corrosive, kills plants
- Urea: to -7C, concentrated form is corrosive and kills plants
- others: Sugar, alcohols, glycol propylene glycol.
Synonyms and Related Terms
deicer; deicing salts; de-icing salts; Melt ice; Antarcite; Ice-A-Way (NaCl); Fast Melt (KCl, NaCl, urea); Hot Stuff (CaCl2); Safe Step (KCl, NaCl, urea); Ice Wizard; Polar Express (CaCl2, NaCl, KCl); Qik Joe (CaCl2); Prestone Driveway Heat; Flugzeugenteisung (Deut.)
Additional Images
Landscapers Choice, ice melter
Subflourescence
Sources Checked for Data in Record
- Caring for your Collections, Arthur W Schulz (ed.), Harry N. Abrams, Inc. , New York, 1992
- Website address 1, Website address 1 Comment: Commercial products listed at http://www.pasternackstruevalue.com/icemelt.html (accessed Jan 2004)
- Website address 2 Comment: Properties of various salts at http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howthingswork/a/aa120703a.htm (accessed Jan 2004)
- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, at http://www.wikipedia.com Comment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deicing (Accessed Mar. 1, 2006)