Miscellaneous industrial uses

Sections of this chapter consider the usage of TBP under several headings which seek to bring together broadly related applications. In Section 2 on functional fluids, the use of TBP in hydraulic fluids, lubricants, and hydrocarbon fuels is discussed. The low flammability of TBP and its lubricating and corrosion protection effects are important features in these applications. The exploitation of low flammability properties is further developed in Section 3 on fire retardants and stabilizers. The use of TBP to stabilize products towards oxidative and photochemical degradation is also considered in this section. Although low flammability is an important property in the plasticizer applications described in Section 4, the principal effect claimed from adding TBP is the modification of the mechanical properties of polymers. Section 5 on defoamers is less concerned with the bulk properties of TBP than with its behavior as a surface active agent in aqueous systems. A combination of defoaming, plasticizing, and fire-retarding properties shown by TBP may be of use in paper, paints, and coatings. These are considered in Section 6 along with other uses of TBP in surface treatments. The good solvent properties of TBP combined with its protective effects on metal surfaces also make it a useful agent in metal cleaning and corrosion protection. The remaining sections turn from the physical properties of TBP to consider its chemical and biological effects. Section 7 describes the use of TBP in catalysts and chemical reagents while Section 8 relates to herbicide and insecticide formulations containing TBP. To place the contents of these sections into perspective it should be noted that the use of TBP in aircraft hydraulic fluids, discussed in the early part of Section 1, accounts for almost twice the volume of TBP utilized in all the remaining applications together