Sulfuric acid heat control

[yararyus]

Hello people,

I'm planning to dissolve IC chips in sulfuric acid. I bought a hot plate in order to heat sulfuric acid up to 90 degrees Celcius but the hot plate doesn't have any temperature option. It has only on and off button. When I measure the temperature of the hot plate, It increases to more than 110 degrees Celcius. I couldn't measure the max temperature because my thermometer has a limit of up to 110 degrees Celcius.

So, my question is what happens if the sulfuric acid exceeds 90 degrees Celcius? I thought a solution like measuring the solution with the thermometer and when it exceeds 90 degrees, taking the glass from the hot plate and putting it on to hot plate again when it goes below 80 degrees. What do you think? Would it work? Oh one more thing, does sulfuric acid melt tip of the thermometer?

My thermometer is this one

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0732/0991/products/bb-03-kablolu-dijital-mini-termometre-lcd-problu-1_163c217f-3707-4519-855b-00c5f72e4a8e_2000x.jpg?v=1572469914

 

[nickvc]

Welcome to the forum.
Anything that means heating concentrated sulphuric acid is a big no no in my opinion unless you have very good extraction, safety equipment including full face mask, gauntlets and acid proof clothing. Sulphuric is very water hungry even cold and we are something like 90% water so a spill on your skin even cold will cause severe burns and heating it raises that danger exponentially.
This is a very dangerous process and I recommend you find another way to proceed as I would hate you or anyone else to be hurt, bear in mind the fumes escaping if inhaled will damage your lungs and anyone else unfortunate enough to inhale them.

 

[kurtak]

Hello people,

I'm planning to dissolve IC chips in sulfuric acid. I bought a hot plate in order to heat sulfuric acid up to 90 degrees Celcius

As Nick said - what you are talking about is EXTREMELY dangerous --- its a process called "wet ashing"

The sulfuric does not "dissolve" the epoxy of the IC chips - it brakes the epoxy down to carbon - which (yes) then allows you to liberate the gold bonding wires from the chip - but due to the EXTREME danger of this process only a FOOL would use wet ashing to liberate the bonding wires from IC chips

You are FAR better served to incinerate (burn) the chips to get to the bond wires

Just because you see someone on YOU to stupid TUBE do something does not make it a good idea :!:

just because you see someone else do something stupid --- does not mean you should to :!:

There are MUCH better ways to get the gold from IC chips then using HOT sulfuric - there is LOTS of info about it here on the forum - start looking for that info here

DO NOT use this (wet ashing) process - it will end up hurting you - & when it does - it will hurt you really bad :!:

Kurt

 

[yararyus]

Wow!! You're right I inspired by YouTube videos because people were doing the wet ashing method like child toy and I thought I can also do it since I'm studying mining engineering. But since you emphasize on "DO NOT" I won't object against your experiences about the process Thank you guys for warning me beforehand. I will check and study the incineration method.

 

[Martijn]

Another life saved!! Well done guys. kudos.
Do these idiots that make wet ashing video's even have some kind of warning or disclaimer in their video?
If you are willing, report that video to youtube for being downright criminal. Save more lives.
Some people like to learn the hard way, but a wet ashing accident is not even something I would wish my worst enemies. :shock: nasty

 

[goldenchild]

I wouldn't over generalize the people that use this technique as idiots. In fact one of our very own here very recently employed the technique for recovery. It' just another technique. The problem is most aren't set up properly for it.