Pre processing CPUs.

I have access to over 50 lbs of CPUs/EPROM that are enclosed in a bakelite looking material ( pls see pic). The CPUs/EPROM are almost completely surrounded by this material and a small battery is embedded in it. I am looking for suggestions on removing the black material so the CPUs/EPROM and battery can be separated. Either chemically or mechanically.
TIA

What you are showing in the picture is an eprom. It's not cpu's. You'll need to do a search on the forum to learn how to process them. Are you sure thats a battery?

I've used MEK with some success but you will have to let it soak for some time.it doesn't really dissolve it just gets really soft so it can be broken up easily.i imagine if you left it long enough it may dissolve.be careful MEK is very flammable and the fumes can be explosive in confined spaces.MEK is methel-ethel-ketone and is sold in paint supplies.

Thank you. I will try some on a small batch and let it "soak".

Update:
Soaked in MEK for a week and nothing happened.
Any other suggestions?.
TIA>

Get a glass or a steel tube, an aquarium air pump and a large iron pot that you don't care if it ever gets cooked in ever again. Place your chips in the pot and set it over your charcoal or gas grill set on high (outside) and when they start to smoke squirt on some fuel oil and set it alight. Mind your eyebrows and hair... as the conflagration dies down use the aquarium pump with the tube at the end to play air over your chips to continue the degradation process.

Later, when they are cool, smash the residue, with a hammer, to dust. [/humor] :roll:

Then find the many posts on how to handle material that has been sent through a ball or rod mill...

Robert

yep, incineration would be my next step. the MEK is a solvent for many types of plastic and rubber and bakelight comes in many different forms. ive seen white,black and even a clear form and what works for one may not work for another. incineration is some times a cure all for solvent resistant plastics and rubbers.

I agree with incineration, (good advice)..

The bottom chip looks like ceramic I would break it, if it is ceramic process it with other ceramic chips.

If the top chip is plastic smash with hammer before incineration, this will help to keep it from exploding open (some will) and blowing your value out of pot, it will also expose more material to burn easier.

I would use a stainless steel pan for the incineration.

Remove battery's mechanically,The battery is probably Lithium ion (you can look up number and get details), do not let these battery’s short out, they will get hot and explode (wrap in tape). no reason o try and recover anything from it, (some people will buy these if you have enough).

the real small watch battery’s can contain some silver.

butcher said:

I would use a stainless steel pan for the incineration.

Click to expand...

Yes, but you're thinking much clearer than the guy that talks about using an iron pan. That is never advised for incineration. Two good reasons. They are bulky and require considerably more heat to accomplish the task,

and----

iron is subject to thermal shock, very unlike a stamped stainless pan.

Good call, butcher.

Harold