[Benshelz]

Hi All,

I am trying to clean PC circuit boards for a class experiment, I have found Hexamethyldisiloxane does an excellent job but its not water soluble, I am thinking of using it with ethanol but not sure if that would work. Can anyone suggest an idea please that would evaporate the Hexamethyldisiloxane quickly without leaving residue? not sure what would be best to mix at what ratio, looking for a mix that I can clean the boards without having to actually touch or scrub them, a spray on cleaning mixture.

Thanks in advance for any advice
Ben

[chenbeier]

What kind of cleaning do you do to the PCB's? Hexamethylsiloxane is a very poisson compound. Because its poor water solubility its better to us inpolar solvents like ether, tetrahydrofuran or alkanes.

[Arkcon]

Hi All,

I am trying to clean PC circuit boards for a class experiment,

Seems like an oddly designed High School experiment to me.  Why not describe what you're learning in school that lead to this experiment, what you expected to accomplish, what you observed happening, and what you're trying to learn?

I have found Hexamethyldisiloxane does an excellent job but its not water soluble, I am thinking of using it with ethanol but not sure if that would work.

Here's a peer-reviewed resource that suggests a mixture of n-propanol and water would work well.  http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/je60003a008?journalCode=jceaax  Perhaps the teacher will help you get it.

Can anyone suggest an idea please that would evaporate the Hexamethyldisiloxane quickly without leaving residue? not sure what would be best to mix at what ratio, looking for a mix that I can clean the boards without having to actually touch or scrub them, a spray on cleaning mixture.

Some air-flow in an exhausting hood may help, and is often available in the high school lab.

Thanks in advance for any advice
Ben

Glad to help.

[DrCMS]

@chenbeier  what makes you think hexamethyldisiloxane is more hazardous than "ether, tetrahydrofuran or alkanes"?

[clarkstill]

Hexamethylsiloxane is a very poisson compound

Not hazardous, fishy 

[Benshelz]

Hi,

Thanks for all your replies, I'm an adult student going back to try and finish my studies, I want to get into computer science but as I said very new to this.

Thanks for your replies so far, I will do more research to try to understand more, my teacher is happy to help but doesnt get a lot of time for 1 on 1 so im trying to learn what i can anywhere I can.

Thanks again
Ben