Need input from a plastics guy

[0TreeLemur]

The Avidyne IFD-540 in our J came with a tiny bluetooth keyboard.   The plastic on the keyboard case has become tacky (as in sticky feeling, not gauche or untastefully out of date).   I tried magnetic tape cleaning isopropyl alcohol and rubbing.  While that helped maybe a little, it's still tacky.  What's the best way to deal with this?   I've got several handheld electronic things that this has happened to as well.  Some say baking soda solution.  Before playing whack-a-mole, I seek professional advice.

Oddly enough, I peeled the velcro off the back of the keyboard and in the area protected by the velcro adhesive the plastic feels normal.

Thx.

Fred

[EricJ]

Where do you store it usually?   I'm wondering if it hasn't been exposed to something that's doing that.    Mine is still like new, but it lives in a pocket in my flight bag.

[DonMuncy]

Talcum powder helps

 

[ArtVandelay]

I believe the sun does something to the plastic, I’ve had this happen to sunglasses, I used acetone to remove the damaged layer of plastic.

[0TreeLemur]

11 hours ago, EricJ said:

Where do you store it usually?   I'm wondering if it hasn't been exposed to something that's doing that.    Mine is still like new, but it lives in a pocket in my flight bag.

The prior owner seems to have left it in the airplane, held to the panel with velcro.   So maybe @ArtVandelay has the right idea.  But I've got a plastic beard trimmer and an ooma VOIP box that both have had the same thing happen to them and they lived their entire lives indoors.   Maybe it's humidity? Plenty of that to go around here in 'bama.  I'll give it the @DonMuncy  talcum powder treatment.

[Rick Junkin]

10 hours ago, 0TreeLemur said:

But I've got a plastic beard trimmer and an ooma VOIP box that both have had the same thing happen to them and they lived their entire lives indoors.

I've had this question a few times myself. A google search on "how to clean sticky surface from plastic" revealed isopropyl alcohol as the most popular solution. Acetone can attack the plastic, while isopropyl alcohol will not. Be aware that what you'll be doing is removing the "rubberized" matte surface coating from the plastic and the end result will be a shinier smooth surface. You might want to give it a go on your beard trimmer to see if you're happy with the result before you go after your Avidyne keyboard.

Cheers,
Rick

[Mark89114]

I make plastic parts but am not going to claim anything except for it is something percolating its way out of the plastic.

My friend has a high dollar jaguar and the plastic feel buttons are exactly as you described.  He got no recourse from the dealer/manufacturer which I think is absolute BS....guess what car he didn't buy again?  He bought a land rover/range rover so I guess he likes to spend money on expensive poorly built british things.

[Hank]

17 minutes ago, Mark89114 said:

I make plastic parts but am not going to claim anything except for it is something percolating its way out of the plastic.

My friend has a high dollar jaguar and the plastic feel buttons are exactly as you described.  He got no recourse from the dealer/manufacturer which I think is absolute BS....guess what car he didn't buy again?  He bought a land rover/range rover so I guess he likes to spend money on expensive poorly built british things.

I also make plastic parts for a living. In my experience, this is much more common in the softer, rubberized materials than hard plastics. It's just the additives that make it soft and flexible migrating to the surface over time.

Your friend didn't do any research. Jag and Rover have, or at least used to have, the same corporate ownership . . . . . .  

[Bolter]

22 minutes ago, Hank said:

I also make plastic parts for a living. In my experience, this is much more common in the softer, rubberized materials than hard plastics. It's just the additives that make it soft and flexible migrating to the surface over time.

Your friend didn't do any research. Jag and Rover have, or at least used to have, the same corporate ownership . . . . . .  

Still under one company (which is owned by Tata), with a single HQ called JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) on the highway sign as drive past it in Coventry.  

[0TreeLemur]

Update.   By using a shallow tray with some 91% Isopropyl Alcohol, dipping the case of the keyboard in and rubbing vigourously with a rough paper towel, pulled off a bunch of black goo.  It's quite a bit better now.  Another go and it will probably be non-tacky. 

[LANCECASPER]

On 7/6/2023 at 10:12 PM, 0TreeLemur said:

Update.   By using a shallow tray with some 91% Isopropyl Alcohol, dipping the case of the keyboard in and rubbing vigourously with a rough paper towel, pulled off a bunch of black goo.  It's quite a bit better now.  Another go and it will probably be non-tacky. 

Goo Gone (not Goof Off) has worked for me to get the stickiness off of rubberized plastic.