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Industries | Electronics

Low-corrosion cleaning, with no chloride detected.

PureTech Scientific supplies glycolic acid to electronics manufacturers for circuit board, copper and metal surface cleaning. Our Glycolic Acid 70% Technical Solution has chloride and DCA not detected, and Glyclean® 70 is available where tighter sulfate and turbidity limits matter. Both are made in the USA on the only continuous, single-step glycolic acid process in the industry.

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Not detected
chloride in Glycolic Acid 70
Not detected
DCA in Glycolic Acid 70
0.009% vs 55.51%
Aluminum weight loss vs hydrochloric acid**
24/7
Continuous U.S. production

How it works

Glycolic acid works two ways at once. Its acid group dissolves oxides, tarnish and mineral deposits, and its alcohol group chelates the freed metal ions, including copper, into water-soluble complexes that rinse away instead of redepositing on the surface. As the smallest alpha hydroxy acid (molecular weight 76), it reaches into fine features and porous oxide layers. With chloride not detected, it avoids adding the chlorides that drive corrosion on sensitive metal surfaces.
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Product solutions

The grades electronics customers buy

Most electronics customers use Glycolic Acid 70% Technical Solution. Choose Glyclean® 70 when your process calls for tighter sulfate and turbidity limits.
Tech Grade

Technical Grade

Versatile 70% glycolic acid solution for industrial use.
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Glyclean 70

Glyclean® 70

Cleaning-only 70% grade with tight sulfate and turbidity limits.
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Custom manu

Contract & toll manufacturing

Purification, blending and custom synthesis at our Dayton, TN site.
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Applications

Where electronics customers use glycolic acid

Circuit board flux cleaning

Removes flux residue from printed circuit boards

Copper and brass cleaning

Lifts tarnish and oxidation and complexes copper ions

Electroplating and electroless plating

Surface conditioning and metal ion management in plating baths

Aluminum cleaning and finishing

Cleans aluminum surfaces with low metal loss, including anodizing preparation

Electropolishing

An electrolyte component for a smooth, bright finish

Precision metal parts

Descaling and oxide removal for components and housings

Data spotlight

Published specs you can compare before you qualify

Property Glycolic Acid 70% Technical Solution Glyclean® 70
Total acid

70.0 to 72.0%

 70.0 to 72.0%
Formic acid

Below 1.0%

 Below 1.0%
Sulfate

600 ppm max

 400 ppm max
Turbidity 5.0 NTU max 4.0 NTU max
Color (Gardner) 3 max 3 max
Dichloroacetic acid (DCA) Not detected (LOQ 5.40 ppb) Not detected (LOQ 5.40 ppb)
Chloride Not detected (LOQ 1 ppm) Not detected (LOQ 1 ppm)
Corrosion check: after 48 hours at 23 °C in 10% acid, 1100 aluminum lost 0.009% of its weight in glycolic acid versus 55.51% in hydrochloric acid, and 304 stainless steel lost 0.008% versus 0.53%.
Why PureTech

What electronics manufacturers need from a chemical supplier, built in.

Electronics processes are sensitive to chlorides and corrosion, so every input has to be clean, consistent and on hand when the line needs it.

Supply you can schedule around

Our dedicated glycolic acid facility runs 24/7, and distribution partners around the world keep product stocked close to you. Plan production with confidence.

Consistency your process can count on

Our continuous, single-step process keeps every lot on spec. Each lot of Glycolic Acid 70% Technical Solution ships with a Certificate of Analysis.

A faster path to qualification

Our technical team works with your engineers on concentration, compatibility and qualification. Need a tighter limit? Share your target and we’ll review how our Dayton, TN site can support.

Ready to qualify a lower-corrosion cleaning chemistry?

Tell us your process, your target specification and your volumes. We'll send the spec sheet, a sample and a technical contact to support qualification.
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Frequently asked questions

Which grade do electronics customers use?
Most use Glycolic Acid 70% Technical Solution. Glyclean® 70 is an option when you need tighter sulfate (400 ppm max) and turbidity (4.0 NTU max) limits.
Does your technical grade contain chloride?
Chloride is not detected in Glycolic Acid 70% Technical Solution (LOQ 1 ppm), and DCA is not detected (LOQ 5.40 ppb). Every lot is tracked for both.
Why does chloride matter in electronics cleaning?
Chlorides can drive corrosion on metal surfaces, including stress corrosion cracking in stainless steel. A cleaning acid with chloride not detected avoids adding them.
How does glycolic acid treat aluminum and stainless steel?
In 48-hour testing at 23 °C with 10% acid, aluminum lost 0.009% of its weight in glycolic acid versus 55.51% in hydrochloric acid, and 304 stainless steel lost 0.008% versus 0.53%. Qualify any chemistry on your own materials and process conditions.
Can you meet a tighter specification?
Share your target limits and our team will review what we can support, including purification and blending at our Dayton, TN site.
Where is it made?
In Belle, WV, on the only continuous, single-step glycolic acid process in the industry, with a global supply chain.

*Chloride LOQ 1 ppm; DCA LOQ 5.40 ppb (spec P-00125). **10% acid, 48 hours, 23 °C.