A while back I wanted to dissolve some styrafoam in a glass beaker a 1.5l one (my 400ml were tied up in a different experiment). I wanted to make a
substance that would bind paper to pvc with common chemicals. The stuff works ok.
Well right now I wish to clean it up however this is very difficult. I decided that I would use acetone/xylene to clean it up. Works ok but were I
onced wiped the styrafoam just recrystalizes. In other words I have been scrubbing the same spots in vein.
I need help removing the remaining styrafoam. The chemicals at my disposal are nitrates/acetone/xylene/sodium percarbonate/potassium
permanganate/sulfuric acid/sodium hydroxide and I think that is it.
I hear that potassium dichromate/sulfuric acid is really good at removing organic material but I unfortunatly lack that chemical. Acetone dissolves
permanganate. Will the strafoam be oxidized? Could this be a possibility?
Side note.. I also had some strafoam crap crystalize in my finger nail area hurts like hell I dont think that is good.
[Edited on 17-2-2006 by DeAdFX]neutrino - 16-2-2006 at 19:01
The first thing that comes to mind is basic potassium permanganate. This is commonly used to clean glass frits, so I imagine it should work here. A
detergent in your acetone might also help get that residue off.Mr. Wizard - 16-2-2006 at 19:27
Gasoline dissolves styrofoam.DeAdFX - 16-2-2006 at 20:29
Quote:
Originally posted by neutrino
The first thing that comes to mind is basic potassium permanganate. This is commonly used to clean glass frits, so I imagine it should work here. A
detergent in your acetone might also help get that residue off.
Ok thanks... It's nighttime at the moment so I will try this tommorow.
@ the gasoline idea I could but my parents won't let me use such a valuable commodity like that.
Gasoline
MadHatter - 17-2-2006 at 08:21
Mr. Wizard is 100% correct on that solvent. Parents won't let you use it ? Then sifon some out,
discreetly of course, or buy your own. It won't take much.tom haggen - 17-2-2006 at 10:23
Of course using some type of solvent that the material is soluble in is usually the first choice. If this fails standard lab techniques calls for
using warm concentrated sulfuric acid for cleaning glassware. When I first saw the title of this thread I thought it would be some desperate fool
trying to piece together a broken beaker. This of course brings back sad memories of lost glassware due to the effects of gravity. Someone needs to
invent unbreakable glassware with the same properties of borosilicate.
[Edited on 17-2-2006 by tom haggen]12AX7 - 17-2-2006 at 13:14
Hum! I wonder if laboratory equipment could be fabricated from diamond (PCD or monocrystalline).
But you never said anything about price, either.
Timunionised - 18-2-2006 at 11:46
I think diamonds are nearly as brittle as glass.
One idea for cleaning glassware that is often overlooked is the use of hot air. Most organics can be burned off with a bunsen/ blowtorch.
