Smoke Detector Cleaner Gas Duster  Spray Aerosol  

Air Duster, also called “canned air”, “compressed air”, and “dusting gas”, is used to provide a pressurized blast, knocking loose dust and dirt. Think of it as a portable replacement for an air compressor line. This can be used to blow out cookie crumbs from a keyboard, clear out computer vents, and even open up tight apertures in an SMT (surface mount technology) stencil in PCB assembly. It’s one of those products that seems simple but leads people to many misconceptions. We’ll cover the most common questions and misconceptions about duster, but if we missed your specific question, leave us a comment below or contact us and we'll get it answered. 

AIR DUSTER IS NOT “CANNED AIR”

Most aerosol duster contains a refrigerant/propellant that cannot be considered “air”. As a matter of fact, breathing too much of these vapors can lead to negative health effects. Compressed Air Duster is most commonly filled with the following propellants:

HFC-134a – Nonflammable, most common for industrial applications when spraying energized circuits because of the risk of a spark lighting a flammable material. It is under close scrutiny because it has a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 1400, so 1400 times the impact of CO2. On the back label, look for “1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane” or CAS #811-97-2

HFC-152a – Most commonly available duster in consumer retail because it is less expensive than HFC-134a. It is flammable, and will ignite when concentrated (i.e. in liquid form) and exposed to a spark or flame. HFC-152a has the advantage of a lower GWP (130) than HFC-134a. On the back label, look for “1,1-difluoroethane” or CAS #75-37-6

HFO-1234ze – This is a newer, nonflammable material introduced in the last 10-years as a very low GWP alternative (<1) to HFC-134a. It is non-flammable and is almost indistinguishable from HFC-134a when sprayed, but unfortunately at a much higher price. On the back label, look for “trans- 1,3,3,3-Tetrafluoropropene” or CAS #29118-24-9 

CO2.  It's as not as common because the spray force is not consistent. Because of the higher pressure, it comes in small, low capacity cartridges. The spray force diminishes as the cartridge is empty. On the back label, look for “carbon dioxide” or CAS #124-38-9

DME – DME is rarely used and in many areas cannot be legally used because of safety and environmental concerns. DME is extremely flammable and is a VOC (volatile organic compound), which can contribute to smog. All of the other duster alternatives do not contain VOCs. On the back label, look for “Dimethyl ether” or CAS #115-10-6.

Industrial Duster Is Not The Same As Retail/Consumer Duster

Customers looking for the lowest price often look to consumer retailers. Consumer duster is designed to be as cheap as possible, sometimes imported from outside the US, but aren’t designed for industrial use and may raise concerns:

Retail duster generally contains HFC-152a – Look on the back of a can of aerosol hairspray, and you’ll generally find propane (the same propane as in your gas grill) or butane (the same butane in a Bic lighter). These chemicals are used because they are cheap, not because they are safe. In industrial markets, safety is a top concern, with careful oversight by OSHA (in the US specifically). Because of this, HFC-134a is more widely accepted in industrial markets, even at a higher price

Purity can be questionable – Industrial buyers rely on trusted industrial brands because the quality is closely controlled. The material is highly filtered and controls are in place to avoid moisture and other contamination

Additives to prevent huffing – Many retail dusters have bitterant added to prevent huffing. When duster is used in the home, there is concern that the material will be purposely inhaled (called “huffing” or “dusting”) by minors, which can sometimes lead to tragic consequences. To avoid this, bitterant is added to make the duster taste bad. This same bitterant can lead to unwanted and potentially harmful residues on sensitive surfaces like electronic circuit boards

Check fill weight – Retail duster can come in a variety of fill weights (the content of the material in a can) including 3.5 oz., 8 oz., 10 oz. and larger. This can only be judged by the label since the size of the spray can may not vary.

Smoke Detector Duster  MSDS Safety Certificate

Smoke Detecter Cleaner   Datasheet