pete_at_dunnington.u-net.com wrote:
> MEK is indeed methyl ethyl ketone, aka butanone. It's not
> particularly toxic, nor particularly dangerous -- very roughly on a
> par with iso-propyl alcohol, and less dangerous than some solvents
> that have been mentioned on this list for use on plastics.
Just out of interest, how does it compare with acetone?
> It's used
> industrially to "weld" ABS and PVC, as a cleaner in the printing
> industry, as a degreasing agent, to clean equipment used for plastic
> foam (including cans of the expanding urethane foam filler used in
> the building industry), and as a constituent of some plastic glues.
> It will dissolve most ink and some paints. Like IPA, acetone (nail
> varnish remover), methylated sprit, etc, it's fairly flammable.
Er, fairly flammable? From the reports I've read, it's worse than petrol
(unleaded, LRP, take your pick).
> It will attack a lot of plastics, but not most epoxies (once properly
> cured) or "waxy" plastics like polythene. The effect on potting
> compund will depend on the compound, but it will make some types of
> RTV (Room Temperature Vulcanising compound) "silicone" swell and
> eventually make some types crumbly. BTW, the acetic acid given off
> by curing RTV is rated as 10-50 times more toxic than MEK :-)
Hmm...
I've just found a page that lists some solvents and their uses -
http://www.seahawkpaints.com/solvents.html
It lists Xylene as being usable for epoxy and polyurethane resin removal.
Hmm... Shame the only source of xylene I have is the stuff mixed with
varnish in my Electrolube "CPL" lacquer pen.
Later.
--
Phil.
philpem_at_dsl.pipex.com
http://www.philpem.dsl.pipex.com/
Received on Sat Jan 04 2003 - 06:33:00 GMT