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About Aerosols  |  Aerosol Technology  |  Aerosol Benefits  |  Recyclable

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About Aerosols

Aerosols were first invented in 1926 by a Norwegian, Erik Rotheim. He was after a better way of applying wax to his skis and found that a pressurised aerosol was the most effective delivery method.

However, it wasn't until after World War II that the aerosol became popular as the 'bug bombs' (pictured). These had saved many US soldiers from malaria infection during the Pacific War and found their way into 'war surplus' stores.

The first aerosol produced in Australia is believed to be a can of 'Mortein'™ flyspray in the early 1950s.

Today's aerosols are a sleek and modern form of packaging which consumers see as convenient and always ready to use, safe and suitable for a wide range of products.

There are many technical advantages to aerosols, such as a long shelf life and an inability to be contaminated by bacteria or dust. The contents do not evaporate and the product's characteristics will not change over the lifetime of the product.

Aerosols can dispense a large variety of products from powders to gels and foams, pastes and liquids.

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How Aerosols Work

As pictured, the product is disolved or suspended in a liquid solvent. A liquid gas usually is used as a propellant.

In a typical aerosol, some of the propellant exists as a gas under pressure above the product. This gas pushes down on the liquid, forcing it up through the dip tube and out the valve when it is opened. The liquid is a mixture of product and liquified gas.

As it is released, the gas evaporates from the liquid in the container causing constant performance and pressure within the aerosol.

When the liquid mixture is released from the aerosol, the liquid propellant becomes a gas and helps break up the product into a fine mist. In foams like mousse and aftershave, the liquid gas forms bubbles, making the product expand as it is released from the aerosol.

The amount of propellant in aerosols differs depending on the product. For example: for fine mists, a larger amount is used than in foams, etc.

For more information, go to How Stuff Works or The Plain Man's Guide to Aerosols.

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Nothing Delivers Quite Like An Aerosol!

The aerosol package has numerous advantages not duplicated by non-aerosol alternatives. Aerosols are suited to a wide variety of products. They can dispense a foam, a paste, a wet or dry spray, and even a gel or cream. 

In come cases, aerosols are the most effective packaging for a product, as they:

• produce fine sprays - ideal for air fresheners and insect sprays
• achieve even coatings - ideal for spray paints, hair sprays and cooking sprays
• produce foams - ideal for carpet shampoos, hair mousses and whipped cream
• reach hard to get at places - ideal for automotive sprays, lubricants and crack and crevice treatments
• are airtight (hermetically sealed), clean and hygienic - ideal for personal care and medical products as they cannot become contaminated while being used.

Aerosols can even do the difficult and unusual! They can dispense medicines or other products in doses as small as 50gm, they can jet product long distances - for example in garden or wasp sprays, while one-shot (or "total release") valves can empty cans in one go.

Aerosols perform consistently, from the first spray until the very last.

Aerosols are leak proof, won't spill or evaporate and have a long shelf life.

 

Convenient - Ready and Easy to Use

Aerosols are always ready to use at the touch of a button.

They need no mixing or measuring, and are easy to store and handy to use.

 

Recyclable

It is possible to recycle all empty aerosols as they are made from tinplated steel, aluminium and (sometimes) glass.