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 Post subject: What the heck?
PostPosted: Fri Feb 15, 2019 10:22 pm 

Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2017 3:28 pm
Posts: 47
Hi,
Hopefully someone can tell me what this is? Mounted to an HP Viridia Telemetry Mainframe card - sealed card (copper braid). Looks and feels like metal - but could be ceramic? Brittle - can be chipped easily. Hoping it's some kind of exotic metal Tungsten or Tantalum heat sink. Non magnetic - mounted in board with metal bracket that is.


Attachments:
File comment: Pretty hefty stuff
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IMG_0975.jpg [ 530.77 KiB | Viewed 2267 times ]
File comment: Breakage on removal with channel locks
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IMG_0974.jpg [ 1.04 MiB | Viewed 2267 times ]
File comment: A chip off the old block (sorry - had to)
IMG_0972.jpg
IMG_0972.jpg [ 558.71 KiB | Viewed 2267 times ]
File comment: The underside of the item removed from the bracket
IMG_0971.jpg
IMG_0971.jpg [ 906.34 KiB | Viewed 2267 times ]
File comment: Mounted item
IMG_0967.jpg
IMG_0967.jpg [ 880.67 KiB | Viewed 2267 times ]
File comment: The braided copper seal
IMG_0966.jpg
IMG_0966.jpg [ 1.16 MiB | Viewed 2267 times ]
File comment: The card with the cover on
IMG_0964.jpg
IMG_0964.jpg [ 1.18 MiB | Viewed 2267 times ]
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 Post subject: Re: What the heck?
PostPosted: Sat Feb 16, 2019 3:37 pm 
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Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 6:57 pm
Posts: 9751
Location: Low DOS
Well, step one, don’t break it any further.
My first guess was tungsten hematite. A common metallic ceramic; used in heat spreaders and “goth” jewellery.
But that’s highly magnetic.

So my second choice? Boron carbide. Boron is a diamagnetic material that becomes magnetically neutral (nearly) when alloyed at near 50/50 with carbon. It’s hard, space wise, but brittle. Items are made by dumping a dry powder into a mould and compressing it under many many tons of pressure. It’s difficult to break initially but once damaged can be crumbled easily.
C5B is a common choice in high leakage electrical environments.
As is it’s non toxic. But do NOT get it wet. You quickly get Boron Hydroxide. A relativly toxic gas. Which is why boratic acid laundry soap has sulphur in it. Which stabilises the reaction to non-toxic gases.
Most large steel yards will take it at steel rates.

C5B is a logical choice given the copper braiding around the case.

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 Post subject: Re: What the heck?
PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2019 11:24 am 

Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2017 3:28 pm
Posts: 47
Thanks Lostinlowdos. I guess my plans to vape with it are ill advised. By the way, you're much smarter than Google lol


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 Post subject: Re: What the heck?
PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2019 4:49 pm 
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Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 6:57 pm
Posts: 9751
Location: Low DOS
You’re welcome. And I think it’s actually I’m dumber than google.
My previous signature was “ask me... I blow myself up so you don’t have to”.

It’s not a common metal in that form. Though that usage is a go to for ‘we give up’ board design. There’s a lot of it in early 8-bit computers. Was one source of landfill fires in the mid to late 90s. You also find it in, like yours, high end rack equipment. But most of this exists in 70s era AV equipment like tuners and Betamax players.
And microwave ovens as Boron Beryllium alloys.
I found out about it when it made me sick. Real sick! Lol. Keep it dry.

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 Post subject: Re: What the heck?
PostPosted: Mon Feb 18, 2019 4:36 pm 

Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2017 3:28 pm
Posts: 47
Will treat it like my powder - thanks again


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