The effect of various chemical additives (small molecules and polymers) on the dissolution of two kinds of colloidal silica (Aerosil 200 and laboratory-synthesized, SSD) is systematically studied at pH 10. The silica scale dissolvers tested are 5-carboxybenzotriazole (CBZT), amino-tris(methylene phosphonic acid) (AMP), a phosphino-polycarboxylic acid (PPCA), diethylenetriamine pentacarboxylic acid (DETPA), a proprietary polymer (Genesol 40), poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), ethylenediamine-tetrakis(methylenephosphonic acid) (EDTMP), phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid (PBTC), sodium metaborate, and N-phosphonomethylimino-diacetic acid (PMIDA). Of the polymeric additives only Genesol 40 shows some dissolution activity, dissolving ∼280 ppm silica at 10 000 ppm dosage after 72 h. PBTC and DETPA are the best-performing additives of all those tested. PBTC is effective even at the 2500 ppm dosage, as it solubilizes ∼290 ppm silica after 72 h. Its efficiency is dosage-dependent. DETPA is also an effective silica dissolver. Its behavior is similar to that of PBTC. Its best dosage is 7500 ppm, which yields dissolution of 322 ppm silica (after 24 h), 340 ppm (after 48 h), and 333 ppm (after 72 h). SSD silica is a very recalcitrant deposit showing resistance to dissolution even by the most effective additives, PBTC and DETPA.

The effect of various environmentally friendly chemical additives and natural products on the dissolution of amorphous silica (Aerosil 200 and laboratory-synthesized, SSD) is studied. The silica scale dissolvers tested include the following: ascorbic acid (vitamin C, ASC), citric acid (CITR), carboxymethyl inulin (CMI), 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (catechuic acid, DHBA), 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid (gallic acid, GA), dopamine hydrochloride (DOPA), iminodiacetic acid (IDA), histidine (HIST), phenylalanine (PHALA), and malic acid (MAL). The chemical structures of these chemical additives contain potentially dissolution-active moieties, such as 1,2-dihydroxyethylene (ASC), α-hydroxycarboxylate (MAL and CITR), catecholate (DHBA, GA, and DOPA), α-aminocarboxylate (HIST and PHALA, both aminoacids), and finally carboxy-modified fructofuranose units (CMI). It was found that all studied molecules showed variable dissolution efficiency, with MAL, CMI, HIST, and PHALA being the slowest/least effective dissolvers, and the catechol-containing DHBA, GA, and DOPA being the most effective ones. IDA and CITR have intermediate efficiency.

The effect of various fluorine-containing chemical additives on the dissolution of colloidal silica is systematically studied. These silica scale dissolvers are ammonium bifluoride (NH 4 •HF 2 ), ammonium fluoride (NH 4 F), sodium tetrafluoroborate (NaBF 4 ), and disodium fluorophosphate (Na 2 PO 3 F). The most effective dissolver was NH 4 •HF 2 , which was extensively studied at the pH range 2−7. The highest dissolution efficiency was demonstrated in the pH range 2−4. The dissolution capability of Na 2 PO 3 F was monitored not by the silicomolybdate method, but on the basis of a weight-loss approach. It showed substantial dissolution ability at pH's 7 and 9.