Fluoro Etch

Sodium napthalene solutions in tetrahydrofuran solvent have been used to provide surface treatment of fluorocarbon surfaces for several decades. A commercial surface treatment based on this process has been Tetra-Etch.63 Recently the manufacturers of Tetra-Etch introduced Fluoro-Etch, which has several advantages. Fluoro-Etch requires no refrigeration, is easier to handle, and offers significant cost, efficiency, and safety advantages. It offers a 1-year shelf life and is manufactured in both the United States and Europe. 

Tetra-Etch and Fluoro-Etch, Action Technologies, Inc., Pittston, PA. 

Etching solutions can be purchased from a number of sources. They include Fluoro Etch by Acton Corp. and Tetra-Etch by W. L. Gore Associates. Some companies, such as Acton Corp., provide surface treatment service. Operational safety and waste disposal are two issues concerning parties that deal with etching solutions. 

Commercial solutions of etchant do not contain ammonia or tetrahydrofuran for safety and health reasons. For example, Tetra-Etch contains 25% by weight of sodium-naphthalene complex and 75% of ethylene glycol dimethyl ether. Fluoro Etch (offered by Acton Technologies, Inc., Pittston, PA) contains about 30% sodium-naphthalene complex and 70% of an ethylene glycol solvent. Acton Technologies has reported successful use of both ethylene glycol dimethyl ether and diethylene glycol dimethyl ether as solvents.OO... 

Fluorine and its compounds are used in producing uranium (from the hexafluoride) and more than 100 commercial fluorochemicals, including many well-known high-temperature plastics. Hydrofluoric acid etches the glass of lightbulbs, etc. Fluoro-chlorohydrocarbons are extensively used in air conditioning and refrigeration. The... 

Fluorocarbons Polychloro- trifluoroe- thylene, polytetra- fluoro- ethylene, polyvinyl fluoride, polymono- chlorotri- fluoro- ethylene Trichloro- ethylene 1. Wipe vrith solvent and treat with the following for 15 min at RT Naphthalene (128 g) dissolved in tetrahydrof uran (11) to which is added sodium (23 g) during a stirring period of 2 h. Rinse in deionized water, and dry in water air Sodium-treated surfaces must not be abraded before use. Hazardous etching solutions requirii skillful handling. Proprietary etching solutions are... 

Fig. 2 Difference in the morphology of cells cultured on various surface-modified porous silicon. Top panel PC12 cells cultured on (A) freshly etched porous silicon, (B) oxidized porous silicon, and (C) amino-silanized surface (Low et al. 2006). Bottom panel CHO cells cultured on (a) oxidized porous silicon, (b) fluoro-silanized surface, and (c) amino-silanized surface (Yang et al. 2010)...

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