Is there a non-corrosive, non-reactive, and non-conductive liquid out there?

[goc9000]

Hi everyone !

Sorry if this has been asked before - I'm too lazy to search through all the topics...

Is there any liquid that has all these properties:

- isn't corrosive (well, at least for 10 years or so)
- doesn't readily react to plastic and commonly-used metals at room temperature
- it's non-toxic in that you can touch it without being poisoned, it doesn't give off any toxic fumes, etc.
- (most importantly, and I don't know if such a thing exists) doesn't conduct electricity even if slightly polluted with impurities (dust, etc.)

I suppose that if the liquid doesn't 'cooperate' with the impurities, they should act pretty much like a cloud of fine dust and thus not conduct electricity, right ?

Thanks in advance...

 

[Gokul43201]

Some kind of mineral oil would come close.
- not corrosive
- I use for lube when I machine plastics. Regular tapping grease will react with plastics. Safe with metals.
- get it on my fingers all the time
- very non-polar so will not conduct well at all...small amount of impurity doesn't change this as the impurity will nor be ionized in the oil.

 

[goc9000]

Uh... but would this oil be inflammable ?

 

[Gokul43201]

Uh... but would this oil be inflammable ?

Hmmm, so you forgot to add an important criterion didn't you.

So that rules out most oils. Let me see if I can think of something else...

Meanwhile if you can throw in some context, that usually ends up being helpful. What is this liquid for ? Can you tell us something about the project you're working on, that may be useful to help find your magic liquid.

PS : Please don't say it's a PM machine.

 

[NateTG]

Liquid flourocarbons

Generally non-reactive, non-flammable, non-toxic.

http://classes.kumc.edu/cahe/respcared/liquidventilation/wikeper.html

 

[Gokul43201]

Generally non-reactive, non-flammable, non-toxic.

http://classes.kumc.edu/cahe/respcared/liquidventilation/wikeper.html

Very interesting. How about their conductivities ? I would imagine that PFCs are very polar...more so, than water. But I could easily be wrong.

 

[goc9000]

Well, I'm not working on any project, I was just wondering if there was a liquid in which electronic components could be immersed and still work for a reasonable amount of time (say, 1 year at the very least). The "non-toxic", "non-flammable" criteria are present simply because the liquid shouldn't be dangerous, i.e. it wouldn't kill anyone if something goes wrong.

That "mineral oil" solution seemed nice, but if it bursts into flames :surprise: at the slightest accident...

Oh, and what's a PM machine ?

 

[chroot]

You want Fluorinert by 3M, the same liquid used in liquid-cooled supercomputers:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&q=Fluorinert&btnG=Search

- Warren

 

[Tyger]

Don't forget silicone oils have a high degree of inertness, good heat conductivity and low corrosion, low flammability and have been used for electronics.

 

[goc9000]

Most excellent. Exactly what I was looking for.