Sulfuric Acid, pure or no? - Archive File

[megalomania]

Foodos
Frequent Poster
Posts: 210
From:
Registered: SEP 2000
posted 05-07-2001 08:53 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Although this is a hard question to answer, I thought I would ask it anyway, I came across two bottles, clear, supposedly containing Sulfuric Acid, besides all the warning logos etc, there is no percentage given, the only number seeming to be their was under the title of Sulfuric Acid, UN2796
This was found near an automotive section of a retail store, im thinking it could be a refill pack for batteries, or something like that, but does anyone have any info on that number, or whether or not they have had any experience with that before?



PYRO500
Moderator
Posts: 1465
From: somewhere in florida
Registered: SEP 2000
posted 05-07-2001 09:03 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
you could obtain a small amount of pure h2so4
then take a test tube or small glass vial and weight it till it floats and mark it then you can float this in your h2so4, or you could buy a hydrometer and check the specific density


ALENGOSVIG1
Moderator
Posts: 766
From: Vancouver, Canada
Registered: NOV 2000
posted 05-08-2001 03:51 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The code "UN2796" referes to sulfuric acid which has a concentration of 51% or less.


atropine
Frequent Poster
Posts: 129
From: wales
Registered: OCT 2000
posted 05-08-2001 01:25 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This may seem a stupid question but couldn't you just test the PH. Battery acid usually has a PH of 2 (im thinking) Or maybe there is another kind of test for concentration as i think PH only goes down so far.


blackadder
Frequent Poster
Posts: 313
From: London
Registered: DEC 2000
posted 05-08-2001 02:42 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Take a small sample of H2SO4, heat it, and if white fumes are given off, it's pure, if not, then it isn't pure. If it takes bloody ages for white fumes to appear then it's a very low percentage of H2SO4, if it takes about 10 seconds for the fumes to appear, then it's got a pretty high percentage of H2SO4.


Anthony
Moderator
Posts: 2306
From: England
Registered: SEP 2000
posted 05-08-2001 05:06 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If it's electrolyte for wet cell lead acid batteries (car battery acid) then it'd be about 35%.


Foodos
Frequent Poster
Posts: 210
From:
Registered: SEP 2000
posted 05-09-2001 05:16 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for the replies, the reason I coulnd't do any type of test myself is that I do not have it, ill have to 'obtain' it later on, I just wrote down the number to find out whether it is worth trying to obtain or not.

[Mendeleev]

I went to Lowes a little while ago and I found they sell two types of sulfuric acid drain openers, which I think are high concentration, greater than 90%. On one bottle it says virgin sulfuric acid with 12 buffers, and the other one has an almost clean slate, but it says "blended" sulfuric acid. Both say that they are a special brew to prevent overheating in the pipes. They cost about $8.00 a bottle, which is about 1-2L. I was wondering how these buffers would affect HE nitrations. Is it possible that they don't participate in the reaction at all? I know this may not seem like the best source for sulfuric acid considering NAPA sells 5 gallons of %15, but when boiled down, this gives only 1-1.5 gallons, and even more troublesome, is that it is in the back, and you have to ask for it, which could raise suspicion if I ask the guy for like 10 gallons, whereas in lowes you just pick it up and go.

[flash619d]

Originally posted by Mendeleev
I went to Lowes a little while ago and I found they sell two types of sulfuric acid drain openers, which I think are high concentration, greater than 90%. On one bottle it says virgin sulfuric acid with 12 buffers, and the other one has an almost clean slate, but it says "blended" sulfuric acid. Both say that they are a special brew to prevent overheating in the pipes. They cost about $8.00 a bottle, which is about 1-2L. I was wondering how these buffers would affect HE nitrations. Is it possible that they don't participate in the reaction at all? I know this may not seem like the best source for sulfuric acid considering NAPA sells 5 gallons of %15, but when boiled down, this gives only 1-1.5 gallons, and even more troublesome, is that it is in the back, and you have to ask for it, which could raise suspicion if I ask the guy for like 10 gallons, whereas in lowes you just pick it up and go.

Say you have a battery that needs filled, and ask for 2-3 quarts of acid. The person will tell you that it only comes in 5 gal. boxes; act disappointed, but purchase anyway. If you need more, just come back when there's another clerk on duty. They don't ask questions generally.

[Mendeleev]

By the way I checked the Roebic blended sulfuric acid and it is 90% pure, I checked the msds.