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Nontoxic room-temp solid that boils under 500F

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AndrewM

Mon Nov 26 2012, 02:23AM

Registered Member #49 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:05AM
Location: Bigass Pile of Penguins
Posts: 362

I need a thin film I can remove with moderate heat and with zero mechanical effort (e.g. I can't peel or scrape it away or drain it out, etc). Ideally it'd be something like a thin polymer film that boils/vaporizes away and doesn't kill me with its vapor.

This is a tough thing to find, it seems. Any ideas?

This is going to be placed between two large flat objects and I want them to be isolated until heat is applied, whereupon I need them to contact each other. I've tried low-melting polymer films, but they don't drain completely, thus I'd like to try something that vaporizes.

...

Mon Nov 26 2012, 05:35AM

Registered Member #56 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:02AM
Location: Southern Califorina, USA
Posts: 2445

What exactly do you mean by 'in contact with eachother'
I doubt you will find something that evaporates cleanly enough to get a metallurgical bond between them (I assume they are metal if you are heating them to 500c), even just getting a decent electrical contact may prove tricky.

The only thing I can think of would be a low melting point wax, although I think that to really get rid of most hydrocarbons you have to burn them off so if there isn't an oxidizer available you probably won't get to far. Naphthalene (used to be in moth balls) could be a contender, although I suspect that it will leave some kind of residue. Then again you could just put a layer of black powder (the explosive kind) and be done with it

Can you chill the mystery devices? The easiest solution may be to use water...

AndrewM

Mon Nov 26 2012, 05:42AM

Registered Member #49 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:05AM
Location: Bigass Pile of Penguins
Posts: 362

(Note I need to stay under 500F, not C... if I could go up to 500C it'd be an easier problem, to be honest)

I have considered napthalene as well as camphor, but those don't meet my "not killing me" requirement, as the quantities involved may be quite large.

I cannot chill the assembly - the material needs to be solid at STP, and moreover reasonably stable.

Patrick

Mon Nov 26 2012, 05:52AM

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

when you say: "thin film" can it be a liquid film? like acetone or MEK?

becuase if you want a solid to volatize out and be residue free, while not costing 900,000 US$ per ounce, you might be screwed.

AndrewM

Mon Nov 26 2012, 05:54AM

Registered Member #49 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:05AM
Location: Bigass Pile of Penguins
Posts: 362

No Patrick.

Patrick

Mon Nov 26 2012, 06:25AM

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

what about a gel-like material, i guess aerogels wont do what you want as there generally high temp resistant. but jell-o the (yes, the food) can have some properties of a semi-solid, while reducing the Pressure, allows the water to volatize out, leaving the fiber matrix un damaged in place. (yes i remember you said the system needs to stay at STP) so maybe im just rambling.

Sulaiman

Mon Nov 26 2012, 11:25AM

Registered Member #162 Joined: Mon Feb 13 2006, 10:25AM
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3141

how about iodine?
iodine vapour IS toxic but easily vented
it does leave a purple stain
and if you buy in quantity the DEA will visit you assuming you're making methamphetamine

Adrenaline

Mon Nov 26 2012, 01:54PM

Registered Member #235 Joined: Wed Feb 22 2006, 04:59PM
Location:
Posts: 80

AndrewM wrote ...

(Note I need to stay under 500F, not C... if I could go up to 500C it'd be an easier problem, to be honest)

I have considered napthalene as well as camphor, but those don't meet my "not killing me" requirement, as the quantities involved may be quite large.

I cannot chill the assembly - the material needs to be solid at STP, and moreover reasonably stable.

Not sure what venting capability you have as far as "not killing you".
1,4-Dichlorobenzene (para-dichlorobenze) could work, it is used in the same way napthalene is; should be easily sourced.

Patrick

Mon Nov 26 2012, 03:35PM

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

ok AndrewM go get some urinal cakes, extract the diclhorobenzene and your set.

AndrewM

Mon Nov 26 2012, 04:05PM

Registered Member #49 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:05AM
Location: Bigass Pile of Penguins
Posts: 362

My heat source is my conventional oven, so while I can vent the kitchen adequately with the exhaust fan, we do bake food in said oven frequently so I'd be worried about anything condensing in there.

But it seems like perhaps nontoxic is just asking a bit too much. I could get a toaster oven, perhaps.

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