which is partially or fully neutralized by said alkanolamine and water application_number US 46474783 A description consistent with the foregoing descriptions fluxes as prepared according to the present invention are advantageously used in the form of clear aqueous solutions consisting essentially of an organic substantially water insoluble polycarboxylic acid and an alkanolamine while the ratios of the individual constituents can be varied over a substantial range it is most desirable as indicated above that the water exceed the amount of the water insoluble polycarboxylic acid and that said polycarboxylic acid exceed the amount of the hydroxy alkyl amine or the alkanolamine in any event the finished flux solution should be clear to the naked eye it has been found that such results are achievable even though a portion of the polycarboxylic acid utilized remains free or unneutralized or is not converted to the water soluble salt formed by the polycarboxylic acid and the alkanolamine selected such proportions of unneutralized or free water insoluble polycarboxylic acids may be as high as 30 or 40 or more without disturbing the clarity of the solution and indeed such compositions constitute preferred embodiments of the invention in other words in such solutions the alkanolamine is present in sufficient proportions to neutralize about 60 to about 70 of said polycarboxylic acid while the water soluble alkanolamine can be used in proportions to exceed the amount of water insoluble polycarboxylic acid necessary fully to neutralize the latter in the aqueous solution no particular advantage.