--- In
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Syd H. Levine" <wireline@...>
wrote:
>
> I found a good chemical compatibility table indicating ABS (a common
styrene
> based plastic used in electronics) is severely attacked by Methanol,
but
> only very slightly attacked by Ethanol. Methanol is the common
denaturing
> agent in the US and this probably explains my experience with denatured
> alcohol attacking styrene based plastics.
There are a BUNCH of different denaturing agents used for ethanol
in the US. The authoratative list is here:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_06/27cfr21_06.htmlSome of those things are pretty nasty, even nastier than methanol
or MEK!
> I have not had a chance to test some PGA (Everclear) on ABS, but I
am now
> assuming I was merely extrapolating my experience with the denatured
> ethanol. I must have never actually tried the PGA, but simply
assumed it
> acted the same way as the denatured stuff. This also makes me
wonder if
> Methanol might actually make a good flux cleaner since I have had a
nagging
> suspicion that the denatured alcohol actually works a bit better as
a flux
> cleaner than the PGA. But not really sure about that observation.
>
> As to the denaturing agent being Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) in
Europe, that
> is rather interesting. MEK is VERY aggressive against ABS and PVC. It
> would be hard to believe that Ethanol denatured with MEK would not
be as bad
> as Ethanol denatured with Methanol with respect to attacking ABS.
>
> Syd H. Levine
> AnaLog Services, Inc.
> Phone: (270) 276-5671
> Telefax: (270) 276-5588
> E-mail: analog@...
> Web URL: www.logwell.com
Dave