(GEN) Future Use # 2,378

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Francis X. Kranick, Jr. - 06 Dec 2005 04:53 GMT

    My high school freshman son was tasked to bring in a colloid for
science class. We searched the house, thinking of homebrew substances
and, while rifling through my work desk, happened upon my big bottle of
Future. Enter, Future the colloid...
    FWIW, a colloid is (generally) a substance between a solution and a
suspension - paints, inks, milk and the like fall into the colloid
category. Since Future carries extraordinarily fine amounts of acrylic
solids, it seems to suit the task.
    It met my "litmus test"...

    Sorry, I couldn't resist...

Frank Kranick

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Mad-Modeller - 06 Dec 2005 07:03 GMT

> My high school freshman son was tasked to bring in a colloid for
> science class. We searched the house, thinking of homebrew substances
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Frank Kranick

Darn shame I have no young'uns around to make use of this knowledge.
I'll have to try and and remember this for when my grandson needs this
knowledge. That is, of course, sometime in the future.
(rimshot, please)

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

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Peter W. - 08 Dec 2005 08:36 GMT

While I'm far from being a chemist, I don't think that Future holds any
acrylic solids. It is not like there is a finely ground acrylic resin
in future. Then when the solvent evaporates, it becomes solid.

It is more like there are acrylic polymer chains "floating" free. It is
a "liquid" acrylic. When it "dries" it actually polymerizes and makes
a solid. All those unconnected polymer chains merge chemically. That
produces the clear layer of acrylic you see when Future is dry.

So, I don't think Future is a colloid.

Lets see if we have a chemist on this group who can chime in.

:-)

Peteski

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rwsmithjr@rcn.com - 08 Dec 2005 13:28 GMT

> While I'm far from being a chemist, I don't think that Future holds any
> acrylic solids. It is not like there is a finely ground acrylic resin
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> So, I don't think Future is a colloid.

It doesn't polymerize, ammonia strips it too easily for it to have
actually crosslinked. It's more akin to acrylic paint where you have a
vehicle and some solids semi-dissolved in a tail solvent, the vehicle
flashes off then the tail solvent evaporates as the solids align and
fuse (this last is similar to lacquer or shellac). Varnish on the other
hand does polymerize, after the solvent evaporates the solids react
chemically and crosslink.

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Kaliste - 08 Dec 2005 14:59 GMT

> My high school freshman son was tasked to bring in a colloid for
> science class. We searched the house, thinking of homebrew substances
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> solids, it seems to suit the task.
> It met my "litmus test"...

I don't know if this helps answer the question, but here's the MSDS from
the SCJohnson website:

http://www.scjohnson.com/msds_us_ca/US_brands/other/USCOXX01-110180036-
1.pdf

Reading the MSDS, my guess is Future is a solution of gylcols and
phosphates rather than a colloid which is a relatively permanent
suspension of larger particles. This seems to be born out by the
absence of the Tyndall effect (the characteristic of colloids to scatter
light - like paint), as future is relatively clear, if not transparent.

But I am not a chemist and I don't play one on TV either, so I defer to
any chemist who knows better - just don't flame me for my ignorance. :)

Signature

Kaliste Saloom #30703
IPMS/Acadiana Plastic Modelers Society
Lafayette, LA

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Francis X. Kranick, Jr. - 09 Dec 2005 02:51 GMT

Well, since I'm the one who started this thread, I also beseech someone
with a better chemistry background than me to jump in (I hated the
subject). Kaliste's comment on the Tyndall effect sent me scrambling
for my son's notes - I know we read about it.
I'll have to ask my son if the Future was well-received in class... :-)

Frank Kranick

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Peter W. - 09 Dec 2005 21:03 GMT

See what you've started!!

:-)

Peteski

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Milton Bell - 09 Dec 2005 22:38 GMT

Frank;

You might try our old friend Google for details on the Tyndall effect. I
remember when I was in high school (phenomenal memory!) I took Jello as my
example of a colloid suspension. Unfortunately, I don't remember anything
else about that particular bit of class work.

MB

> From: "Francis X. Kranick, Jr." <francisx1960@adelphia.net>
> Newsgroups: rec.models.scale
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Frank Kranick

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Model Forum / General / Models / December 2005

(GEN) Future Use # 2,378