# Molten Drain Cleaner (Lye) Dissolves Glass



## kadriver (Jan 31, 2012)

Here is a cool video showing molten sodium hydroxide (drain cleaner) dissolving a glass vial.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmktRTHL1NA&feature=g-vrec&context=G2886067RVAAAAAAAAAg[/youtube]

kadriver


----------



## kadriver (Jan 31, 2012)

I used sodium hydroxide (Red Devil Lye) one time to convert silver chloride to silver metal.

It was a small ammount, and I let the solution and the silver sit in the 250 ml pyrex beaker for several weeks.

When I finally removed the silver, I noticed that the beaker had been etched very badly to the point where you could not see through it.

I often wondered what had caused the etching in that beaker.

The experiment in the youtube video answered my question - sodium hydroxide will dissolve glass.

kadriver


----------



## Claudie (Jan 31, 2012)

Doesn't Steve use a glass beaker to heat the NaOH for his solder mask removal? :shock:


----------



## samuel-a (Feb 1, 2012)

Claudie said:


> Doesn't Steve use a glass beaker to heat the NaOH for his solder mask removal? :shock:



"Molten" and "dissolved" are not the same.
Hot concentrated NaOH solution will attack glass, but is insignificant.


----------



## Claudie (Feb 1, 2012)

I thought about that after I posted. I went to Steves site and watched his video, he adds water and just heats it. In the future, I should think BEFORE I post. :|


----------



## kadriver (Feb 1, 2012)

I think samuel is right, the damage will be insignificant, but there will be some damage.

Dilute sodium hydroxide in solution will do significant damage to a pyrex glass beaker if it is allowed to sit in the beaker for a long period of time.

Here is the beaker I used to convert silver chloride using sodium hydroxide (lye) and sugar. I allowed the silver and the solution to sit in the beaker for about 2 or 3 weeks.

The beaker was etched badly from dilute NaOH exposure over a long period of time.

kadriver


----------

