Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> St. wrote:
>
> >    Erm, no, but while you're doing this experiment, tell me what the backup
> > tape is made of.
>
> Wikipedia suggests it might be Mylar (i.e., polyethylene terephthalate).
> I still don't know how to make it disolve though. So far we've tried:
>
> - Acetone
> - Hexane
> - Butyle acetate
>

If it's polyethylene of some sort, then it's practically indestructible! Well,
almost.

Looked up 'polyethylene' in wikipeadia; here's what it says:
"Polyethylene (other than cross-linked polyethylene) usually can be dissolved at
elevated temperatures in aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene or xylene, or in
chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethane or trichlorobenzene."

Mmm, what yummy cancer-causing chemicals!

BTW, it also says that 60 million tons of polyethylene are produced each
year--so all of it will probabably still be around in landfills long after the
human race has died out!

KW

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