[sdiy] somewhat OT: trying to identify perf board chemical

[David G. Dixon]

> Sounds like a job for David Dixon! :)

Well, Aaron, my specialty is more inorganic than organic.  However, if it
were me (which it wouldn't be, because I don't use perfboard anymore), I
would probably try rubbing the boards with acetone or gasoline to see if the
sticky stuff comes off.  Of course, I would also use rubber gloves and
goggles, and perhaps even a mask, and work in a well-ventilated area,
preferably outside.  Then I would dispose of the spent solvent in an
environmentally acceptable manner in accordance with local regulations.

I think that once the slick stuff is removed, the boards underneath are
probably fine.  It is probably a lubricant used during the drilling process
to prevent the drill from overheating, which is left on because either the
company is too cheap to remove it, and/or because it helps prevent oxidation
during handling and shipping.  As such, it is probably something akin to
machine oil, which often has a sickly sweet smell to it.  I'm pretty sure it
isn't OSP (organic solderability preservative), because that stuff is
typically only a few atoms thick, and would simply look like clean copper.
Also, I doubt that they would waste that stuff on perfboard.

That's my best punditry on the topic.  

 
> 
> - Aaron
> 
> On Sep 2, 2009, at 3:45 PM, John Richetta wrote:
> 
> > So, case in point: I bought one of his bigger lots of perf board.
> > This stuff seems great: you can hardly find it any more, and never
> > at a good price.  Well, the down side to the lot I bought is that
> > the entire stack of it appears to be coated in some sort of slick,
> > clear, slightly slippery chemical, that has a strong, plasticky,
> > somewhat sweet smell to it.  Not sure how else to characterize it
> > except perhaps as "artificial" and "volatile" smelling.
> >
> > (There is a remote chance that the chemical isn't really the source
> > of the smell, or all of it, and that the perf board material itself,
> > which appears to be mostly plastic, is what smells most.  I don't
> > think this likely, though, given the dissimilarity of the smell to
> > anything I've experienced with perf board, previously.)
> >
> > My question is: has anyone acquired such material before, and have
> > any good guess as to what this chemical is?  I'd like to know how
> > hazardous it might be.  The Chinese, no disrespect intended, do not
> > have a great track record WRT electronics and toxic materials
> > (arguably largely due to circumstances we help create), so I fear I
> > could well be handling either toxic materials once produced here and
> > shipped there, once it became illegal, or toxic material that
> > originated elsewhere and should not ever be shipped into the country
> > but was anyway, thanks to the wonder that is eBay.  Maybe it was a
> > solvent used by his crew to clean up some boards in bad shape
> > (doesn't look like they are anything other than brand spanking new),
> > or perhaps it's a "preservative" chemical, in some way.
> >
> > I know, this isn't a lot to go on WRT the all-important point of
> > "what exactly does it smell like," but I'm just hoping someone here
> > might happen to have experience with this supplier, or (more
> > remotely) some chemicals that might possibly be commonly used in
> > this context.
> 
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