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Author Archives: Barrie Mellor
USAF’s X37B Spy Sat – a “mini-Shuttle”
One most interesting aerospace project that has managed to keep a relatively low profile is the American X37B reconnaissance spacecraft, as reported by the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16423881 and described on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-37B. First going in to service (apparently) in April 2010, … Continue reading



FAQ; High Performance Greases and Lubricants
When working with aggressive chemicals, the use of greases is often highly restricted (or prohibited) and we are often asked what we use. In working with liquid oxidisers (nitrogen tetroxide, nitric acid and hydrogen fluoride), we have generally found that … Continue reading
In terms of Corrosion, what’s the difference between a ‘Passivator’ and an ‘Inhibitor’?
Metals are said to be ‘passive’ when they show good corrosion resistance against a specific medium. That is to say that metal A might be passive in liquid 1 but not in liquid 2, whereas metal B might be passive … Continue reading



FAQ: optimising the use of Lead Acid Batteries
My first response to any question about car batteries (12V lead acid) is that the answer to just about anything you want to know them can be found on one single website; Bill Darden’s most excellent “Car and Deep Cycle … Continue reading
Widespread Vitamin D Deficiency in the UK?
Vitamin D is essential in a number of biochemical roles in the human body, perhaps the best known is that of being involved in the process in which calcium in taken up for growth and maintenance of bone structure. Vit.D … Continue reading



How can you tell if chemical analyses are dependable
The question sometimes arises about how a client can be totally confident about the services supplied by a chemical analyst. This is very fair question and one that we ourselves need to consider if we outsource particular tests for which … Continue reading



Cleaning of used Electronic Components and other Multi-Metal parts
An unusual question arose recently about how to clean old and used electronic components. The particular component in question was an old socket (base) for a radio valve (tube), which had been put in to an ultrasonic cleaner in water … Continue reading



What are the risks involved with using cleaning agents in water-filled cooling and heating systems?
Water-filled cooling systems are always subject to some degree of corrosion, and left un-checked, holes can appear in the system allowing the coolant to leak out. Consequently, it is always advisable to use a carefully selected corrosion inhibitor in the … Continue reading



How dangerous are the “Green Propellants”?
Some time ago we attempted to address the question “How Dangerous are the Hydrazine Fuels” and so it is interesting to consider the same question for the “Green Propellants”. I don’t know if there is any generally accepted definition of … Continue reading
Why were some halocarbons solvents banned but some are still in use?
The solvents that were banned were the ones that were chemically very stable and survived for very long periods of time in the atmosphere. These materials eventually travelled to the ozone layer and were involved in photochemical reactions which destroyed … Continue reading


