The adjective solvent, whose etymological origin is found in the Latin dissolvens , refers to that which dissolves: that is, it manages to undo, disintegrate or separate something.
In the field of chemistry, a liquid is called a solvent that promotes the separation of molecules or particles of a gas, a solid or another fluid. A solution, therefore, is created when a solute is diluted in a solvent.
In this process, the solvent molecules produce what is known as solvation, surrounding the solute molecules. In the water it is called solvent universal because of its ability to function as a solvent to an enormous amount of substances.
Water offers the advantage of not being polluting; That is why it is used in numerous procedures that require the use of solvents (also called solvents). These solvents that do not cause damage to the environment are classified as sustainable solvents.
The brine, for example, a solution created by dissolving salt in water. Thus, to obtain a brine, one must use water (H2O) as the solvent for the salt (NaCl).
The spirit, the methanol, the benzene, the petrol and chloroform can also act as solvents. In these cases, these are substances that must be used with caution as they are potentially dangerous.
It is possible to classify solvents taking into account their chemical structure, and in this way we obtain the following groups:
* hydrocarbon solvents: within this group there are three others, which are formed according to the class of carbon skeleton of their molecules, and are aliphatic , aromatic and paraffinic . A widely used example of a hydrocarbon solvent is paint thinner;
* oxygenated solvents: they are generated by means of chemical reactions starting from olefins, which are derived from natural gas or petroleum, and are also divided into subgroups, although they outnumber those of hydrocarbons: ketones, alcohols, esters, ethers of glycol, glycol ethers and ethers. Our body generates ketones naturally every time it burns fat;
* Halogenated solvents: these are the type of solvents that have a halogen, such as iodine, bromine and chlorine. Another widely used example for dry cleaning is perchlorethylene, a highly effective solvent.
The effectiveness of these and other products depends largely on the inclusion of solvents in their manufacture. If we focus on paints, for example, thanks to their application it is possible to disperse or dissolve those components that are used when formulating the paint so that its consistency is ideal at the time of use on a surface, so that it does not form globs or lumps.
In the case of some spray paints, esters of glycol ethers are added to prevent them from drying on contact with air. Because these solvents evaporate slowly, they allow several coats of paint to be applied throughout the painting process of a car without the formation of defects.
Many of the inks used in printing include solvents to achieve more vibrant colors. Toluene, a hydrocarbon solvent, is present in certain magazine ink to minimize the possibility of smudging after printing.