Homebrew PCBs

--- 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.html

Some 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