Remember that likes dissolve likes. Acetone is a relatively non-polar solvent (as compared to water, which is highly polar), and
Natural alternatives like vinegar, vegetable oil, and olive oil can effectively dissolve uncured spray foam. Using vinegar to remove polyurethane is a safer and environmentally friendly option for minor foam spills or on sensitive surfaces.
Acetone is a clear, colorless liquid. It is a solvent that can dissolve or break down other materials, such as paint, varnish, or grease. It evaporates quickly into the air. Acetone is naturally present in trees and other plants, as well as tobacco smoke, vehicle exhaust, and landfills.
While acetone can generally remove polyurethane, it comes with several disadvantages. It's highly flammable, so even a small flame or spark can set off a fire or explosion when enough vapors are present. It also has a strong odor that makes it unpleasant to use.
Vinegar. White vinegar is used to remove spray foam.
The other solvents are either toxic, suspected carcinogens, or very volatile, and thus present health and safety problems. We have discovered, surprisingly, that polyurethane foam may be dissolved, or removed from a substrate, by contacting the polyurethane foam with a solvent comprising 1,2-dialkyl imidazole.
The polystyrene (a type of plastic) DOES NOT melt in acetone.
Acetone and alcohol do react together to form new products. The product of mixing acetone and alcohol is hemiacetal, which is an organic compound with the general formula R R ′ C O R ″ , where R is an alkyl group. The oxygen in the alcohol's hydroxyl attacks the carbon in acetone's carbonyl, as shown in Figure 5.
Use only non-sparking tools and equipment. Metal containers involving the transfer of Acetone should be grounded and bonded. Keep Acetone out of confined spaces, such as sewers, because of the possibility of an explosion. DO NOT wash into sewer as Acetone is dangerous to aquatic life in high concentrations.
You can use a solvent such as acetone or nail polish remover to dissolve it when this happens. If you do not have acetone, then a lacquer thinner or gasoline will work as well.
It has been previously reported that the main degradation paths for polyurethane foams are a combination of hydrolysis, thermal oxidation and/or photo-oxidation.
Hydrolysis causes the chemical breakdown of the polyurethane polymers; this results in the physical breakdown and degradation of the product. This phenomenon can occur over several years even when the foam product is stored away from a water source.
Being antimicrobial, however, doesn't mean you can't clean your memory foam from time to time. If you're looking to clean memory foam, you'll need a couple of things. The cleaning products you'll need include a sponge, some warm soapy water, a vacuum cleaner, baking soda and some white vinegar.
Some of the products that can dissolve spray foam include acetone and petroleum-based products like vaseline.
How does acetone in polish remover work? Traditional nail polish removers are made up of an acetone solvent and a fatty material like lanolin or caster oil. Acetone removes polish by quickly breaking apart the nail varnish and stripping the polish from the nail plate surface.
Hydrogen peroxide mixed with organic solvents is known to form dangerous peroxides. Hydrogen peroxide and acetone is an especially hazardous combination that can form various explosive peroxides when mixed at high concentration while using an acid catalyst.
Alcohol and acetone.
Alcohol is a mild anti-bacterial agent, and acetone can remove oils from the surface of the skin. These substances are combined in some over-the-counter acne drugs. These agents dry out the skin, have little or no effect on acne, and are generally not recommended by dermatologists.
MEK – This solvent is typically considered to be a stronger cleaning agent than acetone as it has a lower evaporation rate than acetone and a higher boiling point.
Acetone can dissolve those chains, but it will not break them into smaller molecules, generally speaking. This means that acetone could give you a liquid with plastic in it, but that plastic will still take a very long time to decompose.
Removing Expanding Foam
Apply a thin layer of expanding foam remover or solvent cleaner to the area where the foam is located. Use a brush or dry cloth to work the solvent into the foam. You might need to sand the foam down if this doesn't work.
Use a plastic scraper to avoid surface scratching. Remove a maximum of foam; avoid spreading it on the surface. Moisten a sponge with a dissolvent. The optimal option is acetone or even nail polish remover.
In the September issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Jonathan Russell '11 and his colleagues describe how they isolated, from plants collected during the class's two-week spring trips, a fungus they identified as Pestalotiopsis microspora—and then discovered its unique polyurethane-digesting talents.