Does muriatic acid bought from a pool supply store need to be purified before being used in a synthesis?
Nope.
Thank you. How about sulfuric acid? It's in a clear plastic container marked "replacment battery acid". I know it contains some water, but I'm not sure how much. Thanks again.
What purpose for your sulfuric?
Just as useable lab grade sulfuric acid, I'm just obtaining some common precursors.
You cant distill sulfuric at normal atmospheric pressures. It will break down into SO2 gas, so the only thing you can do to purify sulfuric acid is boil off the water in it. If the sulfuric acid is not clear, its not suitable.
My sulfuric acid is absolutely clear. Would you still recommend boiling off any water that may be present?
Unless you can find the specific gravity of your H2SO4 and calculate the % solution, then no its not necessary unless your reaction requires 98% H2SO4.
Replacement battery acid is usually about 40%, but indeed the best thing is to determine the specific gravity.
I imagine you obtain the gravity by weighting your sulfuric acid, and comparing it to the known weight of pure sulfuric acid?
Here ya go:
http://chemdat.merck.de/cdrl/services/labtools/en/table_h2so4.html (http://chemdat.merck.de/cdrl/services/labtools/en/table_h2so4.html)
EDIT:I have that table as htm file also,Rhodium,if you are interested in putting that table on your web page i can send it to you.
Yes, you can distill sulfuric acid at atmospheric temperatures. The temperature is QUITE high though. It won't break down into SO2.
bp of sulfuric acid is around 290 °C and at 340 °C at starts to decompose to SO3 and H2O