What sulfuric acid drain cleaner is the best to use
- Thread starter fivel_976
- Start date
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Read your material data safety sheet, you want sulfuric acid without additives.
In order to check data sheets you have to know all the brands available. I'm posting here because I'm not familiar with what additives are good and bad I'm assuming all cleaners are gonna have some sort of additives. I'm sure someone's has an answer for me
rickbb
Well-known member
Drain cleaners will all contain some amount of buffering agent to soften the smell and destruction of plumbing hardware. Even if the label says it's 98% sulfuric the other 2% will be something besides water.
If you must have 98% sulfuric without additives, start with battery acid, (30% sulfuric 70% water), heat over low heat until you drive off the water. I start with 1,000 ml of battery acid and heat until I have approximately 300 ml left.
edit to correct errors
If you must have 98% sulfuric without additives, start with battery acid, (30% sulfuric 70% water), heat over low heat until you drive off the water. I start with 1,000 ml of battery acid and heat until I have approximately 300 ml left.
edit to correct errors
Sulfuric acid has an azeotrope of 98.3% sulfuric acid has about 1.7 % water, with a density of 1.8302 g/cm3, liquid, 18.4 moles per liter of acid.
With a fairly pure drain cleaner (no additives) the acid will be of fairly pure quality, it may be darker in color possibly from Iron or the process used to make it but for our purposes, it is pure enough for what we use it for.
Check the MSDS sheet for the drain cleaner you plan on purchasing.
Also, understand the dangers involved with the chemical and proper safe handling practices.
Keep an MSDS sheet for any chemical you have in your lab.
For example, you check your hardware or grocery store and find a brand like Liquid fire.
the label and density indicate it is fairly pure acid, with some buffering agent, from reading the MSDS we see:
https://jnhes.com/demo/chem-product-mgmt/safety-data-sheets/view.pdf?rsdsid=1142
and some more on the buffering agent:
https://www.chemtexlimited.com/sulfamic-acid-inhibitor.html
With a fairly pure drain cleaner (no additives) the acid will be of fairly pure quality, it may be darker in color possibly from Iron or the process used to make it but for our purposes, it is pure enough for what we use it for.
Check the MSDS sheet for the drain cleaner you plan on purchasing.
Also, understand the dangers involved with the chemical and proper safe handling practices.
Keep an MSDS sheet for any chemical you have in your lab.
For example, you check your hardware or grocery store and find a brand like Liquid fire.
the label and density indicate it is fairly pure acid, with some buffering agent, from reading the MSDS we see:
https://jnhes.com/demo/chem-product-mgmt/safety-data-sheets/view.pdf?rsdsid=1142
and some more on the buffering agent:
https://www.chemtexlimited.com/sulfamic-acid-inhibitor.html
Kinda complex answers on a simple question guess I was looking more for an answer like I use roto pro from an ace hardware about 10 bucks a leader or liquid lightning from Walmart at 9 bucks a leader I know some of you have explored different brands and had better results with some over other brands
fivel_976 said:
The answer to those exact questions are posted already in several places around the forum. Also, you said you plan to distill your nitric, how much experience do you have with the distillation process? Do you know the definition of "distill".
From Dictionary dot com:
verb (used with object)
1. to subject to a process of vaporization and subsequent condensation, as for purification or concentration.
2. to extract the volatile components of by distillation; transform by distillation.
3. to concentrate, purify, or obtain by or as by distillation: to distill whiskey from mash.
4. to remove by distillation (usually followed by off or out): to distill out impurities.
5. to extract the essential elements of; refine; abstract: She managed to distill her ideas into one succinct article.
The distillation is a form of purification. Done right it will remove many undesired materials as well. The main concern is that you use a form of sulfuric that will do the job required without adding anything that will distill over with your nitric. This is why you look up the MSDS for what is available to you. Be sure you understand the full process, step by step before trying it, using high quality equipment. Hot sulfuric is not something to play with, it becomes more dangerous with heat. It would not surprise me if the dangers multiplied by 10 for every 10 degrees of heat added. At 160F I have seen sulfuric "burn" wood completely black to a depth of 1/8 of an inch. Use extreme caution.
philddreamer
Well-known member
https://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=16065&p=162030&hilit=liquid+lighting#p162030
Take care!
Phil
Take care!
Phil
