SPI Chem™ Wet Surface Replica Kit
Instructions for Use:
Making the Positive Replicas
We recommend the use of a hot plate, aluminum foil covered. Then onto roughly 2" squares of
aluminum foil, each positive, one at a time, is put up side-up (the replica surface is the
"up" side) and heated to a temperature of about 130 C. Some of the white replica powder can
be placed on the now becoming hot surface. With a PTFE- coated spatula, the molten polymer
is literally pressed into the white negative replica to ensure intimate contact and thorough
wetting without air bubbles. Additional powder can be added until the positive replica is at
least 1 mm thick. There may be some odor associated with the melting polymer, and we recommend
that this step be carried out under a properly operating laboratory hood. Evolution of smoke
indicates that the temperature of the hot plate is excessive.
For surfaces which are especially rough and/or with "holes" (for example, facial
replicas showing whiskers), we recommend a next step of heating in a vacuum for a
few minutes to pull out any entrapped air bubbles still in the negative.
The next step is to press into the molten polymer a 1" round aluminum mount (we
recommend SPI #01510 1" round mounts which will fit into any universal metallographic
mount holder). Pick up the whole assembly up with an ordinary pliers and plunge the
entire mount and positive replica into an ice water bath.
After a few minutes for equilibration and cooling, the mount is retrieved from the
ice water bath, and the remaining negative replica carefully and slowly removed from
the positive replica, which should remain attached to the aluminum mount. If the
positive replica should come off at this point, we would recommend re-attaching the
replica using SPI #05010-AB 5-Minute Epoxy.
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Friday October 10, 2008
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