US 5,951,909 AGranted

Composition for the detection of electrophilic gases and methods of use thereof

AssigneeR-Tec Technologies, Inc.

InventorsRobert J. Verdicchio, Stewart R. Kaiser, Shawn Walsh

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Abstract

There is provided a method for the detection of leaks of an electrophilic gas from a system, such as chlorodifluoromethane or carbon dioxide, which comprises applying to an exterior surface of the system a gel consisting essentially of a Lewis base capable of removing a proton from the gas or reacting therewith in a similar electrophilic manner; a dye capable of visibly indicating a color change on protonation or deprotonation; a solvent for the dye, the base and the gas; and a rheology modifier capable of producing a non-newtonian gel of all of these components which is sufficiently translucent to permit visual detection of change of color of the dye and of sufficient pseudoplasticity/thixotropy to provide adhesion to vertical and horizontal surfaces.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method for the detection of leaks of an electrophilic gas from a system containing the same, comprising the steps of applying to the exterior of said system, a coating of a gel consisting essentially of

a) a Lewis base capable of removing a proton from said gas,
b) a dye molecule capable of visibly indicating a color change on protonation or deprotonation,
c) a solvent for said dye, said base and said gas, said solvent selected from the group consisting of alkanols, arylalkanols, alkyl halides, alkyl ketons, alkylamines, aralkyamines, alkyl esters of alkanoic acids, dimethylsulfoxide, and mixtures thereof,
d) a rheology modifier capable of producing a non-newtonian gel of components (a)+(b)+(c)+(d) which is sufficiently translucent to permit the visible detection of change of color of (b) and a sufficient pseudoplasticity/thixotropy to provide adhesion to vertical and horizontal surfaces,
and observing the change in color of said coating upon the occurrence of a leak of said gas.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/065,884Filed 24 Apr 1998 · division
Priority: 17 Apr 1997
Granted: 14 Sep 1999
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B01J 13/0052
Colloid chemistry, e.g. the production of colloidal materials or their solutions, not otherwise provided for; Making microcapsules or…
G01M 3/042
By detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point: by using materials which expand, contract, disintegrate, or decompose in contact with a fluid
G01M 3/146
For pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves; for welds; for containers, e.g. radiators: for containers, e.g. radiators
G01M 3/148
For containers, e.g. radiators: for radiators