>My brother is a devoted audio enthusiast, who avidly reads an 'exclusive'
>stereophile magazine published in the UK. In that most respected journal he
>read that the sound quality of audio played back from CD's that had been
>"cleaned" with Armor-all is dramatically improved as compared to untreated
>CD's. On a visit to his home, he delighted in playing two copies of the
>same CD, one treated with Armor-all, the other one pristine, out-of-the-box
>condition. I didn't have the heart to tell him I could hear no difference
>between the two. His devoted wife affirmed his belief.
>
>Some while later, I learned indirectly through his daughter that all of his
>CD collection had been replaced with newly purchased copies. Seems the
>polycarbonate plastic substrate that is common in CD manufacture had become
>chemically unstable and cracked profusely. All of his CD's were a total
>loss.
>
>Plastics and chemistry is an arcane, dark art.
Well, not for me! Polycarbonate is a great plastic, tough, clear and
durable, unless you treat it with solvent. Then, it can crystallize and
become brittle. This is a typical class room demonstration in a polymer
course. The reason it is used in CD's is that it has the correct optics
for the laser beam. Armor-All is a plasticizer replacement for PVC. PVC
needs plasticizers to stay soft and pliable. Polycarbonate does not.
Mark Ross
markr13_at_comcast.net
------------------------------
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