I am currently testing ways to remove epoxies and silicons, (decapsulating), from aluminum grit/shot (more info about Aluminum Shot here:Aluminum Shot). If I have a cured epoxy binding the aluminum grit and the Methylene-Chloride eats away/dissolves the epoxy, will there be a reaction between it and the remaining aluminum shot. Shot also comes in other materials: iron, steel, and nickel, for example. Will the Methylene chloride react adversely with those either?
Thank you Wayne for responding. We ultimately used N-Methyl Pyrrolidone (NMP) to weaken the bonds of our epoxy. In an effort to speed up this process, we have an aluminum pump. Is NMP reactive with a pressurized aluminum pump? Because NMP is not a halogen hydrocarbon, which are not suitable for our pump, we are confident it will work but just want to be certain.
Thank you!
NMP should not affect aluminum pump components.
Wayne Cook
Keep a careful eye on the development of the oxide layers in St.Steel and AL.
Methylene chloride (according to compatibility references) is not highly reactive with these metals. However, methylene chloride will slowly hydrolyze with water from the air to form hydrogen chloride (hydrochloric acid) which will attack all of these metals. In addition, methylene chloride is a disposal problem. Chlorinated solvents (chloroform, methylene chloride, carbon tetrachloride, perchloroethylene, et al) are subject to very stringent government regulations on handling and disposal.
Have you tried methyl ethyl ketone or tetrahydrofuran. These may also work for softening the epoxy Please also note that it is virtually impossible to dissolve a cured epoxy. It is a cross-linked polymer and impervious to almost all solvents. I do not know what you mean by "silicons" as this term applies to the metal. Do you mean silicones? Silicones are fairly easily removed with any of the solvents mentioned above.