Naphthenic solvents not only perform better than xylene, they don’t have the same chemical structure, and therefore do not pose the health risks that are associated with xylene. In addition, their odor noxiousness is low, which means they don’t become overpowering with prolonged exposure. Xylene is what is known as a hot solvent paint removers. It is primarily used as a paint stripping solvent that can dissolve other substances. Along with other solvents, xylene is also widely used as a cleaning agent, a thinner for paint, and in varnishes. If you add too much thinner to your paint mix, the paint can become too thin and you get runs and sags in the finish. Drying times can also be affected with the paint drying too fast and going matt, or too slow and staying soft. NOTE: It is advisable always to use a same-brand paint system as the thinners, primers and topcoats are formulated to withstand and work with each other. Store xylene in a safe place: Xylene should be stored in a cool, dry place away from any sources of heat or flames.

Turpentine - Turpentine or turps for short has several uses, but it makes an effective agent for thinning oil-based paints as well as removing paint residue, oil-based and acrylics. It has a dozen other useful cleaning uses not all relating to paint, including being able to remove tar and tree sap. However, it shouldn't be used to thin water, latex or shellac-based coatings. Xylene was first isolated and named in 1850 by the French chemist Auguste Cahours (1813–1891), having been discovered as a constituent of wood tar. [6] Industrial production [ edit ] Thinner is used to allow the paint to atomise through the spray gun correctly and give a fine finish. If you are using a high pressure airless paint system then you may not require thinner as the pump will force the paint through the nozzle at high pressure. Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)Clark J. E.; Luthy, R. V. (1955). "Separation of Xylenes". Ind. Eng. Chem. 47 (2): 250–253. doi: 10.1021/ie50542a028.

Draper, T. H. J.; Bamiou, D.-E. (April 2009). "Auditory neuropathy in a patient exposed to xylene: case report" (PDF). The Journal of Laryngology & Otology. 123 (4): 462–465. doi: 10.1017/S0022215108002399. ISSN 1748-5460. PMID 18439334. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-08-09. Purity is the weapon of a paint thinner - the more pure; the better the finish. Thinners that contain a high volume of particles and recycled solvent content are only suitable for cleaning. The debris will clog your spray gun and contaminate your finish if you try to use these lower quality thinners with paint. Some food items that have been found to contain trace amounts of xylenes and other aromatic hydrocarbons include: Cahours, Auguste (1850) "Recherches sur les huiles légéres obtenues dans la distillation du bois" (Investigations of light oils obtained by the distillation of wood), Compte rendus, 30: 319-323; see especially p. 321. From p. 321: "Je le désignerai sous le nomme xylène ." (I will designate it by the name of xylene.) Note: Cahours' empirical formula for xylene is incorrect because chemists at that time used the wrong atomic mass for carbon (6 instead of 12). HIPPURIC and METHYL HIPPURIC ACIDS in urine" (PDF). NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM) (Fourthed.).p-Xylene is the principal precursor to terephthalic acid and dimethyl terephthalate, both monomers used in the production of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles and polyester clothing. 98% of p-xylene production, and half of all xylenes produced is consumed in this manner. [10] [15] o-Xylene is an important precursor to phthalic anhydride. The demand for isophthalic acid is relatively modest, so m-xylene is rarely sought (and hence the utility of its conversion to the o- and p-isomers). These older, less-effective substitutes chemically fall into one of the following groups of compounds: Xylenes are used as a solvent in printing, rubber, and leather industries. It is a common component of ink, rubber, and adhesives. [16] In thinning paints and varnishes, it can be substituted for toluene where slower drying is desired, and thus is used by conservators of art objects in solubility testing. [17] Similarly it is a cleaning agent, e.g., for steel, silicon wafers, and integrated circuits. In dentistry, xylene can be used to dissolve gutta percha, a material used for endodontics (root-canal treatments). In the petroleum industry, xylene is also a frequent component of paraffin solvents, used when the tubing becomes clogged with paraffin wax.

Carson, Freida; Hladik, Christa (2009). Histotechnology: A Self-Instructional Text (3ed.). American Society for Clinical Pathology Press. p.35. ISBN 9780891895817. The main effect of inhaling xylene vapor is depression of the central nervous system (CNS), with symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. At an exposure of 100ppm, one may experience nausea or a headache. At an exposure between 200 and 500ppm, symptoms can include feeling "high", dizziness, weakness, irritability, vomiting, and slowed reaction time. [21] [22] Xylenes are an important petrochemical produced by catalytic reforming and also by coal carbonisation in the manufacture of coke fuel. They also occur in crude oil in concentrations of about 0.5–1%, depending on the source. Small quantities occur in gasoline and aircraft fuels. Stevenson, Cheryl D.; McElheny, Daniel J.; Kage, David E.; Ciszewski, James T.; Reiter, Richard C. (1998). "Separation of Closely Boiling Isomers and Identically Boiling Isotopomers via Electron-Transfer-Assisted Extraction". Analytical Chemistry. 70 (18): 3880. doi: 10.1021/ac980221b. Xylene - Whilst usually an additional ingredient in other paint thinning compounds, xylene can be used solo to thin sealants like varnishes and stains. It can also be used to clean up paint stains and remove paint from painting equipment.

Use xylene in small amounts: It is important to use xylene in small amounts when thinning paint to avoid over-thinning the paint.

All paint thinners are not made equal. Some are designed for cleaning brushes, guns and equipment; others are for use with oil-based paints, stains and varnishes to provide a superior finish. The key to achieving a top-notch paint job is understanding which type of thinner to use for which situation. The tissue sample is now immersed in a bath of paraffin. Since paraffin is miscible with the xylene, the melted wax fills the interior of the tissue cells, forming a clear filler. Step 4: Sectioning In recent years, commercial processes have made it possible to easily manufacture a much safer substitute for xylene, as well as substitutes for other aromatic solvents, making them reasonably cost-effective.Here are some tips on how to clean brushes and rollers used for solvent/oil based paints and varnishes: Etch Thinners is a specialist product fur thinning etch primers (used to coat surfaces such as galvanised metal and aluminium that require an etch). Not recommended for thinning topcoats. It's worth noting that you cannot place paint stripper in paint. Paint stripper is a purpose produced chemical to strip paint off a substrate. If you add paint stripper to paint as a thinning fluid then it will result in the paint simply falling off your project.