C U B L E N
Competence in Phosphonates

Zschimmer & Schwarz US Division (ZS-US) is a part of the internationally operating Zschimmer & Schwarz group.

Zschimmer & Schwarz has focussed on manufacturing and marketing phosphonates in acid and/or salt forms under the brand name CUBLEN^® production has been established in Europe for over 25 years, and began in the US in 1999.

In CUBLEN^®s, ZS-US offers a wide range of proven phosphonates which are used in the industry for a wide variety of applications.

It is generally believed that all phosphonates have somewhat similar properties and hence could be used interchangeably. This is strictly not true. All phosphonates do have common characteristics like sequestration etc., but the degree, the specificity and the conditions do vary.

Each individual phosphonate has unique characteristics and special capabilities for specific applications - thus each giving the most cost-efficient performance for different specific applications.

Our customers can make use of the information we have provided to make the most optimum choice. We kindly ask our customers to familiarise themselves with our CUBLEN Phosphonates and their applications by reviewing the following pages.

General Properties and Application Fields:

CUBLEN^®Phosphonates are characterised by the following general properties:

• outstanding sequestering capabilities, e. g. formation of metal complexes in stoichometric ratios

• "threshold-effect": inhibition of the precipitation of the hardness causing alkaline earth compounds (such as calcium carbonate, calcium sulphate and barium sulphate) by the addition of sub-stoichometric amounts of phosphonates

• "excellent dispersive power" e. g. stabilisation of dispersed solid particles in suspensions and sludges; prevention of undesired flocculation processes

• excellent hydrolytic stability even at very high temperatures and over a wide pH range

• corrosion inhibition

The most important fields of application are:

• detergents and household cleaners, dish-washing liquids, industrial cleaners, glass and bottle cleaning

• textile auxiliaries

• cosmetics

• oilfield water treatment

• cooling water treatment

• stabilisation of peroxides
  stabilisation of bleaching baths

• corrosion inhibition

• liquification of concrete, liquification of ceramic slurries, dispersion of pigments in paints

• reverse osmosis / membrane cleaning, desalination

Packaging:

All CUBLEN Phosphonates are supplied in standard UN-buildingstyle proven packaging material:

liquid products:

220 kg - polyethylene drums (1H1)
1000 kg - Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC)
tank trucks

powder / granules:

Big Bags
multi-wall paper bags

If the customers desire, our products can also be supplied in other types and sizes of packaging as a special case.

A few of the phosphonate products are subject to the existing international regulations for the transportation of dangerous goods (ADR, RID, IMDG, IATA). Our qualified staff check every delivery for appropriate declarations, packaging, labelling and safe loading on board.

Safety and Handling:

When handling Cublen Phosphonates the usual safety and preventive measures when handling chemicals should be followed. Some of the phosphonates in acid form are classified as hazardous materials according to the EU guideline 1999/45/EG. the latest material safety data sheets (MSDS) provide additional information for the safe handling of these materials and will be sent with our first delivery or upon request.

Ecological Information:

During river decomposing tests phosphonic acids were found to be slowly biologically decomposable, although they had been found easily decomposable by screening tests.There is no bioaccumulation with phosphonic acids. Within the water surface area, phosphonic acids are nonbiotically photochemically decomposed by catalytic conversion with Fe-ions. The disposal of phosphonic acids from sewage is done by adsorption on sewage sludge or by precipitation in flocculation reactors with Iron(III)-chloride or Aluminium sulphate.

Customer Service contact information: