What are the different kinds of de-ice fluid?
Fluid Types

Wikipedia contains a good summary of the different types of fluid:


  Types  
  
  
  Type I fluids have a low viscosity, and are considered "unthickened". They provide only short term protection because they
  quickly flow off surfaces after use. They are typically sprayed on hot
  (130–180°F, 55-80°C) at high pressure to remove snow, ice, and frost.
  Usually they are dyed orange to aid in identification and application.
  Type II fluids are pseudoplastic, which means they contain a polymeric thickening agent to prevent their immediate flow off
  aircraft surfaces. Typically the fluid film will remain in place until
  the aircraft attains 100 knots or so (almost 200 km/h), at which point
  the viscosity breaks down due to shear stress. The high speeds
  required for viscosity breakdown means that this type of fluid is
  useful only for larger aircraft. The use of type II fluids is
  diminishing in favour of type IV. Type II fluids are generally light
  yellow in color.
  Type III fluids can be thought of as a compromise between type I and type II fluids. They are intended for use on slower aircraft, with
  a rotation speed of less than 100 knots. Type III fluids are generally
  light yellow in color.
  Type IV fluids meet the same AMS standards as type II fluids, but they provide a longer holdover time. They are typically dyed green to
  aid in the application of a consistent layer of fluid.
  
  
  Chemical Composition
  
  The main component of deicing fluid is usually propylene glycol or
  ethylene glycol. Other ingredients vary depending on the manufacturer,
  but the exact composition of a particular brand of fluid is generally
  held as confidential proprietary information.


Call ahead to the airport to see what kind of deice/anti-ice fluid that they have because each one is different.

Time Limits

Every year, the FAA publishes tables which include information about how long the various deice fluids will provide protection under various weather conditions.  Here is an example table:



For this particular fluid (ABAX ECOWING AD-49 Type IV) we can lookup a specific example such as:


-10 Degrees Celcius
75% fluid and 25% water
Light Snow


This shows that the fluid will provide protection for 1:40 to 2:05. If you are delayed longer than that, you will need to deice again.  Since every part of the aircraft needs to be protected, the timing starts when they first start spraying the aircraft.  Note that other types of fluid (particularly Type I fluids) have much shorter holdover times than this, so be careful and make sure that you check!



Resources


OFFICIAL FAA HOLDOVER TIME TABLES WINTER 2013-2014
AC 120-60B - Ground Deicing and Anti-icing Program