Fire safety
So now we are onto fire safety. There are several reactivities, Here is the MSDS on the plastic substance in toner:
SECTION V – REACTIVE DATA
This product is stable.
Incompatibility: None
Hazardous Polymerization: Will not occur.
Hazardous Decomposition: Terephthalic acid, CO and aldehydes above 300 degrees C.
So no fire danger per se, but you get it hot enough and like I said in previous posts that occurs at 300°C 572°F which I know some of you can do with turning your irons on full blast (hot spots on the iron face). I am not sure what the acid does but aldehydes are toxic.
As far as acetone wipes that is a best practice, just like alcohol wipes. Isopropal alcohol is safe as the methanol is combined with the ethanol where the toxicity is way down because the molecule is so big.
MSDS for Acetone
Ingredient CAS No Percent Hazardous
--------------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ---------
Acetone 67-64-1 99 - 100% Yes
3. Hazards Identification
Emergency Overview
--------------------------
DANGER! EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE LIQUID AND VAPOR. VAPOR MAY CAUSE FLASH FIRE. HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED OR INHALED. CAUSES IRRITATION TO SKIN, EYES AND RESPIRATORY TRACT. AFFECTS CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.
MSDS for Isopropyl Alcohol
Hazardous Components (Chemical Name)
CAS # Concentration OSHA PEL ACGIH TWA Other Limits
Isopropyl alcohol 67-63-0 70.0 % 400 ppm 200 ppm No data.
Section 3: Hazards Identification
Potential Acute Health Effects:
Hazardous in case of eye contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation. Slightly hazardous in case of skin contact
(irritant, sensitizer, permeator).
Potential Chronic Health Effects:
Slightly hazardous in case of skin contact (sensitizer).
CARCINOGENIC EFFECTS: A4 (Not classifiable for human or animal.) by ACGIH, 3 (Not classifiable for
human.) by IARC.
MUTAGENIC EFFECTS: Not available.
TERATOGENIC EFFECTS: Not available.
DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICITY: Classified Reproductive system/toxin/female, Development toxin [POSSIBLE].
The substance may be toxic to kidneys, liver, skin, central nervous system (CNS).
Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage.
They are both dangerous one so more than the other and they are both flammable but the issue is health effects and slightly verses will harm you are two different distinctions.
As far as nail salons. I tell my wife all the time to look for salons that have air cleaners next to their acetone's.
As far as the photo resist method, the chemical safety is well defined in the photo world, with the major chemical used is sodium hydroxide. There is no inhalation sensitivity merely having to acidify it correctly when dumping it to neutral PH.
As far as the chemical enchants, yes they are dangerous. If heated some produce large amounts of Chlorine gas and can combine with free hydrogen molecules and create high molar content hydrochloric acid. It is always the biproducts that are created that are the problems not necessarily the product itself. This is precisely the IEC requirement for halogen free boards. The bromide itself is safe at room temperature. At elevated high temperatures is is very unsafe. All halogens have that level of severe non safety.
As far as I am concerned it is a judgment call to use acetone personally, however in a classroom setting safer products must be used. Since most high schools have photo labs (maybe no more with digital cameras and might become a lost art), it is the same technology. There is no same technology with hot toner transfer, it merely is a cheap method for making good enough boards. Bottom line is the toner transfer system has been well known in the hot foil stamping industry for a long time. They never intended to have that toner removed and as such the product is designed to be permanent. You are trying to defeat that and yes is takes heavy duty solvents to do that. I also do not believe anyone can remove a plastic with one swipe, The plastic loads the swab up and one has to constantly use a fresh area of a swab. Someone here must be using some other technology, I just do not buy it.