For decades, strong acids and halocarbon solvent-based compositions were employed in stripping various protective coatings from metal and other substrates. Increased awareness of the detrimental impact of such paint strippers on health and environment, in recent years, resulted in government legislative bodies all over the world restricting and/or prohibiting the use of these materials. Furthermore, these paint strippers often damaged the substrates to which they were applied.
Wilkins et al., U.S. Pat. No.5,215,675 provides an aqueous stripping composition based on a soluble ester such as ethyl lactate and a peroxide such as hydrogen peroxide.
Distaso, U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,548 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,986 describe the use of methylbenzyl formate or benzyl formate and formic acid in an aqueous-based system for stripping various protective coatings.
However, these prior art compositions suffer from several disadvantages, namely, low solvency (low efficacy), high cost, corrosiveness, narrow range of stability, and extremely strong, unpleasant, and irritating odor.