Ice melter

Landscapers Choice, ice melter bag

Description

Landscapers Choice, ice melter on steps

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;

Examples: 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

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  Landscapers Choice, ice melter, detail on steps

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  Subflourescence
  Photo credit: E. Hyslop

Resources and Citations

• Caring for your Collections, Arthur W Schulz (ed.), Harry N. Abrams, Inc. , New York, 1992

• Commercial products listed at http://www.pasternackstruevalue.com/icemelt.html (accessed Jan 2004)

• Properties of various salts at http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howthingswork/a/aa120703a.htm (accessed Jan 2004)

• Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deicing (Accessed Mar. 1, 2006)