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Stephen Tait

Spray package corrosion barriers–Part 1

October 1, 2023

Hello, everyone. It’s commonly believed that a barrier is needed between a spray package’s base metal/metal foil and a formula to prevent corrosion of the metal/metal foil packaging. It’s also commonly believed that coatings and laminate films are these barriers. I’ll refer to both coatings and laminate films as “coatings.” Coatings do not always prevent […]

Corrosion Control & Prevention

September 1, 2023

They’re processes, not one-time events… Hello, everyone. The risk of corrosion is always greater than zero and could be as high as 62%, particularly when there is no corrosion data for new formulas or derivatives of current formulas (line extensions). Two types of corrosion tests are available for spray packaging: the traditional long-term storage stability […]

Spray package corrosion is always present!

August 1, 2023

Hello, everyone. Your spray products have probably both changed and evolved over time. Changes/evolutions are driven by the desire to have: 1. Sustainable raw materials; 2. Environmentally friendly (Green) raw materials; 3. Water used as a solvent instead of petrochemicals; 4. New ingredient technologies; and 5. New package material technologies, to name a few. All […]

Microbiomes, Enzymes & Spray Package Corrosion

July 1, 2023

Hello, everyone. “Natural, sustainable ingredients” and “Green ingredients” are the current guiding phrases when formulating new products and derivatives of existing product bases. We are all used to “natural” ingredients in spray products; indeed, the quintessential natural formula ingredient is a fragrance. More recently, probiotics (microbiomes) and enzymes, to name a few, have been discussed […]

Water & Spray Package Corrosion

June 1, 2023

Part 2 Hello, everyone. In this issue, we’ll complete the discussion of water’s role in spray package corrosion. Water-corrosion is a complex, multi-step process. For example, one type of aluminum pitting corrosion involves multiple steps: 1. Water reacts with aluminum to form small areas of aluminum-hydroxide gel on top of the package-metal or the metal […]

Water & Spray Package Corrosion

May 1, 2023

Part 1 Hello, everyone. This month, I’m starting a two-part series on the roles that water plays in causing or contributing to spray package corrosion. Water is in a formula as either an ingredient or a contaminant. Steel alloys and aluminum alloys are both used to fabricate spray packages with and without coatings or laminate […]

Why is spray package corrosion so inconsistent?

April 1, 2023

Hello, everyone. One of the most difficult questions to answer about corrosion is why it is so random. For example, you may open and inspect 12 traditional aerosol container spray packages after six months of storage stability testing to find: • Five corrosion-free packages • One package with corrosion on the liquid product area • […]

Spray package material defects

March 1, 2023

Part 2: Tinplated steel aerosol containers & laminated foil bags Hello, everyone. In the previous issue, I began a series on material defects in spray packaging to discuss their relationship with spray package corrosion. We began by focusing on the more common defects in aluminum aerosol containers. This month, we’ll continue with the more common […]

Spray package material defects

February 1, 2023

Part 1: Traditional aluminum aerosol containers Hello, everyone. Defect-free spray package materials do not exist and these defects are often misidentified as corrosion. Even though defects don’t often contribute to or cause spray package corrosion, some formulas will interact with defects to produce package corrosion. Thus, there are always potential concerns as to whether or […]

Interaction between sales and package corrosion

January 1, 2023

Hello, everyone. New products and derivative products typically have several timetables. One of these is an ideal timetable for sales (Target Sales) and the other is the actual sales timetable that is determined by the strength or weakness of the economy. Package corrosion also has a timetable, referred to as the package service life (PSL). […]