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Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
By:Alex Ferguson
Date: 1/14/2011, 4:24 am
In Response To: Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin (Al Edie)

The use of vinegar and epoxy was discussed over a decade ago and I saved these two comments (I hope their authors don't mind) -

Epoxy & Vinegar

How can vinegar be so good at rinsing uncured epoxy from
hands and other object that tend to get in epoxy's way?

It is actually much more efficient than any organic solvent.
The epoxy turns into a grayish muck that is quite easy to
remove with water -

Epoxy resins are hydrocarbon chains with epoxide groups
attached. These are 'cured' by amine, amine aduct or amide
groups which react with the epoxide groups and cross-link
the molecules thus forming a polymer. Vinegar is a dilute
solution of acetic acid in water. When mixed with the epoxy
it may react and break down the epoxide groups by hydrolysis
and convert them to hydroxyl - OH groups. An organic
molecule with a series of hydroxyl groups will tend to be
hydrophilic i.e. water loving, and may end up soluble or at
least partially soluble in water (the latter in this case) -
hence the effect noticed.

Regarding solvents - hydrocarbons (white spirit, benzene,
toluene) are not much good with epoxies - ketones, alcohols
and ketone-alcohols are best - acetone is easy to get, and
possibly MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) or MIBK (methyl iso-butyl
ketone) may be available, Ketone-alcohols probably not.
Cellulose paint solvent (mixture of the above and others) is
fairly useful and can be bought at auto paint shops.

A safety note - nearly all organic solvents are toxic, some
are carcinogenic (benzene), highly flammable with low flash
point and should not be used in an enclosed space! Probably
best to stick to vinegar. I'm not guaranteeing the above,
but hope it helps.

Malcolm Goodall

****************************************

Regarding vinegar as a cleaner for uncured epoxy -

What happens is this: Amines are alkaline (bases). Vinegar
is acidic. Acids react with bases to form salts and water.
Acid/base reactions are about as fast as you get in
chemistry. The amine salt of acetic acid (vinegar) acts as a
soap. Soaps emulsify oils. Epoxy is an oil. The epoxy is
emulsified in the vinegar water. Hence, it washes away.

Kern Hendricks
System Three Resins, Inc.
Seattle, WA

*****************************************

Alex

Messages In This Thread

Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Clayton Plunkett -- 1/11/2011, 12:57 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Stephen Troy -- 1/11/2011, 1:10 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Malcolm Schweizer -- 1/11/2011, 1:34 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Clayton Plunkett -- 1/11/2011, 2:44 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Malcolm Schweizer -- 1/11/2011, 2:57 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Michael McMann -- 1/11/2011, 3:08 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Bill Hamm -- 1/12/2011, 12:48 am
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Bill Hamm -- 1/12/2011, 12:46 am
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Malcolm Schweizer -- 1/12/2011, 3:10 am
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Bill Hamm -- 1/12/2011, 6:00 am
Waterless Hand Cleaner - product suggestions?
Doug S -- 1/12/2011, 12:14 pm
Re: Waterless Hand Cleaner - product suggestions?
Bill Hamm -- 1/12/2011, 2:29 pm
Thanks *NM*
Doug S -- 1/12/2011, 11:02 pm
Gojo *NM*
Dan Caouette (CSFW) -- 1/12/2011, 3:11 pm
Re: Gojo
Bill Hamm -- 1/12/2011, 4:09 pm
Re: Gojo
Brian Nystrom -- 1/13/2011, 6:32 am
Re: Gojo
Bill Hamm -- 1/13/2011, 9:01 am
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
JohnK -- 1/11/2011, 3:55 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
eric Ogata -- 1/11/2011, 4:42 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Kurt Maurer -- 1/11/2011, 7:35 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Paul Sylvester -- 1/11/2011, 8:25 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Richard hayes -- 1/11/2011, 9:15 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Brian Nystrom -- 1/12/2011, 8:15 am
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Clayton Plunkett -- 1/12/2011, 3:24 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
mtkayak (Mike Trutwin) -- 1/13/2011, 5:23 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Bill Hamm -- 1/13/2011, 6:55 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Al Edie -- 1/13/2011, 8:51 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Alex Ferguson -- 1/14/2011, 4:24 am
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
mtkayak (Mike Trutwin) -- 1/14/2011, 9:30 am
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Al Edie -- 1/14/2011, 11:39 am
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Bill Hamm -- 1/14/2011, 11:45 am
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Al Edie -- 1/14/2011, 12:47 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Bill Hamm -- 1/14/2011, 2:51 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Al Edie -- 1/14/2011, 4:27 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Bill Hamm -- 1/14/2011, 5:37 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Bill Hamm -- 1/16/2011, 3:30 am
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Al Edie -- 1/16/2011, 3:45 am
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Bill Hamm -- 1/16/2011, 8:46 am
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Mike Savage -- 1/16/2011, 12:55 pm
Re: Epoxy: Epoxy contact on skin
Bill Hamm -- 1/17/2011, 12:36 am