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Etching Tank, H2O2 + HCl, (Ant Farm Type).

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Patrick

Sat Aug 23 2014, 01:26AM

Registered Member #2431 Joined: Tue Oct 13 2009, 09:47PM
Location: Chico, CA. USA
Posts: 5639

my etching tank... For my prototypes, and rapid fabs which arnt worth sending out, id like to make these in my home. ive done this for many years with HCl+H2O2 or Ferric chloride, since about 1997. ive abandoned ferric chloride in the past few years without regret, as its so temperature and solution sensitive.

my tank, 40 cubic inches, acrylic. Ill be putting a aquarium thermometer sticky on the side.

I should be able to etch a 5 by 9 inch board easy.

this is about the hiehgt i want for a "tilt and slosh" safety factor.

leak catching safety tote.

I may investigate the use of hair salon H2O2 at 30% instead of common 3%.

Signification

Sun Feb 08 2015, 03:28AM

Registered Member #54278 Joined: Sat Jan 17 2015, 04:42AM
Location: Amite, La.
Posts: 367

I *LOVE* this idea...a clear vertical etching tank! I wish I had known about this years ago. I -homemade- PC boards for all my prototypes and used a darkroom tray and that radio shack ferric chloride. Please give more details about your HCL+H2O2 mixture and where to get it all.

Patrick

Sun Feb 08 2015, 04:07AM

Registered Member #2431 Joined: Tue Oct 13 2009, 09:47PM
Location: Chico, CA. USA
Posts: 5639

its peroxide with HCl, but really 3% isnt good enough. I think 30% is too strong. And id make sure you had .75 inch wide, my at .3 was to narrow, and it stuck to the walls.

Signification

Sun Feb 08 2015, 04:54AM

Registered Member #54278 Joined: Sat Jan 17 2015, 04:42AM
Location: Amite, La.
Posts: 367

Is the chemical you are referring to ( 3%, 30% ) the H2O2?

Patrick

Mon Feb 09 2015, 03:47AM

Registered Member #2431 Joined: Tue Oct 13 2009, 09:47PM
Location: Chico, CA. USA
Posts: 5639

3% Hydrogen peroxide from drug store.
30% from Hair salon.

Dont kill your self, and look up this reaction several places online for details.

Its better but more dangerous than ferric chloride. but watch the mythbuster "pig in bath tub' episode for getting rid of bodies mafia style. (h2so4 + h2o2)

Hydron

Mon Feb 09 2015, 01:21PM

Registered Member #30656 Joined: Tue Jul 30 2013, 02:40AM
Location: UK
Posts: 208

I've used ammonium persulfate in the past with good results. Must be heated though, otherwise it takes forever. It's also clear, unlike ferric chloride (turns transparent blue with use - I think it forms copper sulfate).

Mads Barnkob

Mon Feb 09 2015, 02:13PM

Registered Member #1403 Joined: Tue Mar 18 2008, 06:05PM
Location: Denmark, Odense C
Posts: 1968

I have for a while been looking for a tank for vertical etching, I just want to be able to buy one that was made for a entirely different purpose, maybe IKEA got something.

I will continue to only use FeCl, since I only have to watch out for discoloring, I would however add a air bubbler, does that bring little value when using those more potent acids?

Shrad

Mon Feb 09 2015, 02:28PM

Registered Member #3215 Joined: Sun Sept 19 2010, 08:42PM
Location:
Posts: 780

30Mol H2O2 is perfect but your etch-fu has to be good

I use 50/50 HCl and H202 both 30Mol (secret arangement with my local pharmacy which agreed to act as an intermediate for buying a couple chemicals)

50/50 because the water percentage in both completes the mix adequately for a good reactivity (for my taste)

wear gloves especially designed for organic chemistry if you handle it like I do : grab the board with pliers and agitate till it is etched

I do it in a pyrex jar (very exothermic) and have a NaOH solution handy for any accident (usually my developing solution which sits near the rest)

once a couple boards have been done the solution becomes greener and greener and will lose efficiency due to lack of oxygen available for the oxidizing reaction, but usually agitating a board keeps the solution oxygenated and it is sufficient to keep the reaction catalyzed...

you can keep the used product and rejuvenate it with a small quantity of H2O2 which will reactivate the solution with your physical agitation

DÃ©dÃ©!

Mon Feb 09 2015, 06:02PM

Registered Member #4932 Joined: Thu May 17 2012, 01:42PM
Location:
Posts: 59

I use a mixture of 6%H2O2 and 10%Hcl (m/v). That's a combination of 1 part 12%H2O2 and 1 part 20%HCl mixed together. I found that this is the perfect combination for etching. I buy the H2O2 in bottles of 30% and the HCl in jerrycans of 30% and dilute it to the percentages given above. If I need to add some more HCl and/or H2O2 I add undiluted quantities of the chemicals.

Its better but more dangerous than ferric chloride. but watch the mythbuster "pig in bath tub' episode for getting rid of bodies mafia style.

That Breaking Bad episode was cool, but if I would want to dissolve a body, I wouldn't use Piranha solution, I would use a hot saturated solution of Potassium hydroxide.

Patrick

Mon Feb 09 2015, 08:39PM

Registered Member #2431 Joined: Tue Oct 13 2009, 09:47PM
Location: Chico, CA. USA
Posts: 5639

Actually forget what i said about the mafia, they'd just throw someone in with cement shoes in the water.

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