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Guest Mark_the_pyro

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Yes. It won't be as pure as reagent grade (about 37%), but completely usable if you calculate for the difference between the concentrations of the solutions. Conveniently, the 31.45% HCl solution is about 10M (ten Molar) and will react with Molar amounts of other materials.

WSM B)

 

One other issue is that commercial hydrochloric acid isn't as pure as reagent grade. There always seems to be some small amount of contamination in it giving it a yellowish color. I wonder if it's a little iron contamination or something else? I'm sure there are methods that can be used to purify it but being loathe to handle such corrosives much, I avoid pursuing them and consider such contamination as acceptable for my "proof of concept" research.

 

If it really matters, I'll strive to obtain reagent grade acids.

 

WSM B)

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The yellow color is frequently from iron contamination. It's pretty common for industrial HCl, and not the easiest thing to clean up on a DIY basis.

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The yellow color is frequently from iron contamination. It's pretty common for industrial HCl, and not the easiest thing to clean up on a DIY basis.

Looking back through this thread, I'm unclear just exactly what applications folks are planning to perform using concentrated HCl solution, and what impact a little iron contamination might have on planned reactions? I see a lot of discussion of HCl sources and purity, but not a single one about intended use.

 

Having used gallons of reagent-quality for work over the years, and having never used even a single drop of HCl for anything fireworks or rocketry related, what specific uses are intended? What chems are users trying to synthesize???

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Looking back through this thread, I'm unclear just exactly what applications folks are planning to perform using concentrated HCl solution, and what impact a little iron contamination might have on planned reactions? I see a lot of discussion of HCl sources and purity, but not a single one about intended use.

Having used gallons of reagent-quality for work over the years, and having never used even a single drop of HCl for anything fireworks or rocketry related, what specific uses are intended? What chems are users trying to synthesize???

 

 

In home production of useful oxidizers (chlorates and perchlorates), HCl is useful for pH control and purification steps of brine required for high quality end-products (see chlorate cell posts). There are myriad uses for HCl solution.

 

WSM B)

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In home production of useful oxidizers (chlorates and perchlorates), HCl is useful for pH control and purification steps of brine required for high quality end-products (see chlorate cell posts). There are myriad uses for HCl solution.

 

WSM B)

Ahhh, of course. Tx. Lucky to (still) have free access to low-cost perc and company... Would the slight iron (or other) contaminants in technical-grade HCl be that detrimental to clorate production?

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Ahhh, of course. Tx. Lucky to (still) have free access to low-cost perc and company... Would the slight iron (or other) contaminants in technical-grade HCl be that detrimental to clorate production?

I doubt that iron contamination, especially in the concentrations present in tech. grade HCl would cause any problems in chlorate production. The production of chlorate is the result of an oxidation process, which should not be affected by the presence of iron. Actually, if any iron III chlorate is formed, it will precipitate out immediately upon formation and can be filtered out of the solution before the addition of potassium. This is assuming you would starting out with sodium chloride in the cell and precipitating out the chlorate by the addition of potassium chloride.

Edited by MadMat
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I doubt that iron contamination, especially in the concentrations present in tech. grade HCl would cause any problems in chlorate production. The production of chlorate is the result of an oxidation process, which should not be affected by the presence of iron. Actually, if any iron III chlorate is formed, it will precipitate out immediately upon formation and can be filtered out of the solution before the addition of potassium. This is assuming you would starting out with sodium chloride in the cell and precipitating out the chlorate by the addition of potassium chloride.

 

 

The only reason I ever bothered with making sodium chlorate was for two reasons:

  1. I wanted to try making potassium perchlorate from sodium perchlorate I made by electrolyzing sodium chlorate.
  2. I don't have access to commercially made sodium chlorate

Potassium chlorate is made easily enough by electrolyzing a solution of potassium chloride using a proper chlorate cell. Making potassium perchlorate, on the other hand, is not even slightly trivial. It takes several steps and care to avoid wasting time and materials making an inferior product.

 

I am taking several extra steps to purify my starting materials (brine and reaction compounds), but I have to agree with others here that as far as hydrochloric acid is concerned, the contaminants in much of the available acid are typically minor and not prone to cause harm to my efforts. If needed, I believe I can source some reagent grade HCl solution for a price. Most of the time 31.45% commercial hydrochloric acid is good enough, though I do look for the clearest acid available.

 

WSM B)

Edited by WSM
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