I went to RadioShack and got some dust remover to clean my coins and albums before putting the coins in. When I got home I checked the text on the can and it says "Contains 1,1,1,2 Tetrafluorethane". I did a google search and it turns out that this is also referred to as "R134a" and is the refrigerant used for refrigerators and A/C. Is it okay to use this for cleaning the coins? If not, where can I find "pure" air to blow the dust off my albums?
I'm no chemist, but I wouldn't use it without assurances from a chemist that it is inert. I get mine at a computer/electronics store called "Frys", but it's probably available at just about any computer store. What you want is "comperessed air", that doesn't require a propellant.
I'm not a chemist either but I am an electronics engineer. We use that stuff at work in electronics manufacturing. I don't think I would want to use it on coins. Although it is not supposed to leave any "electronic" residue, I don't know what it might do to a gem proof quarter. Of course, you could try it on one or two "expendable" test coins, but it may take you a few years to find out its effects.
I found an old thread and in that thread people seem to think that air dusters containing Tetrafluoroethane are safe: http://www.cointalk.org/showthread.php?p=13733
The blow off duster sold by Amos Advantage contains Tetrafluoroethane. I would like to think that they wouldn't sell a product that could damage coins, would they? http://www.amosadvantage.com/scotto...=air&mscssid=QJ023BL6QQH58P6CL8CRUH24WX9ADV14
True. I was gonna add "although they do sell dips..." at the end of my post, but decided not to. I've been looking for compressed air at web-based computer and photo stores, but they all sell cans with difluoroethane (R152a) or tetrafluoroethane (R134a). Still haven't found any store that sells pure compressed air and no luck at the local Best Buy or Circuit City either.
