Is There A Solvent For 'araldite'?

[pathobby]

A strange question but necessary! I need to separate a metal component which has been glued to a plastic component using Araldite epoxy resin. Is there any way of dissolving the glue to separate the two pieces without dissolving the plastic onto which the metal component is glued?

 

How else can I separate these two bits?

 

PH

[twdpens]

Heat will soften epoxy, but heat will also melt plastic! Try gentle heat first to see if that helps. A check on the melting temperature of the plastic may help, if you can identify the generic type.

 

Good luck!

 

Martin

[rhosygell]

Araldite is notoriously difficult to remove. In all likelihood you will destroy the plastic part in the process of separating the components. Araldite is all but chemically inert once set and pretty heat resistant too, it will easily withstand boiling water.

[Chthulhu]

DMF ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimethylformamide ) will do it, but you probably won't have a pen anymore. You might have cancer, though.

[atypical]

Chemicals that dissolve (to some degree) cured epoxy - such as N,N-Dimethylformamide - will also dissolve many other plastics. (Edit: see previous post)

 

Weakening the bond by applying heat, followed by mechanical separation of the parts, is probably the only practical solution.

Edited June 6, 2011 by atypical

[viclip]

Failing any other solution, you may be able to grind the metal part off using a rotary tool. However you'll need to keep the plastic portion cool by devising a water cooling method &/or maintaining a low speed/gentle pressure, as well as grinding only for brief periods at a time. Due to safety concerns with working with water around electricity I'd highly recommend trying to locate a small rotary air tool (die grinder, small drill etc.), or perhaps there's an electricity-safe liquid coolant used by machinists & such. Eventually you'll attain a razor-thin metal thickness at which point it'll become a polishing job. Maybe the epoxy will give by then too. I'd also recommend protecting the surrounding plastic from accidental damage from the rotary tool, this job will require a fair bit of manual dexterity even assuming the plastic doesn't melt.

[TMA]

Depending on the dimensions of the parts, you can force water into araldite with an ultra-sonic bath. That softens the araldite so you can pull the parts apart.

 

This would work if it was a long, thin metal piece, but not it it was a flat plate.