badresults - 30-3-2011 at 20:58
I work for a company that utilizes a nitric acid/hydrochloric on a daily basis. Currently we are using a baking soda/water solution to neutralize the
acid once it is no longer necessary.
I was wondering if switching over to an isopropyl alcohol (70% most likely) and baking soda solution would have any negative consequences, as far as
reactions are concerned.
As far as I am aware, the largest concern with mixing nitric acid and isopropyl alcohol is the formation of isopropyl nitrate. However the amount of
acid being neutralized is incredibly minute in comparison to the water/baking soda solution being used, the same would be true if alcohol were
substituted.
Any expert opinions would be appreciated, this switch could save time and money and having it be safe would be the only necessity in having it
implemented.
smuv - 30-3-2011 at 22:34
This is a terrible idea, and frankly it makes no sense, why do you want to replace cheap easy to dispose of water with more expensive and more costly
to dispose of isopropyl alcohol?
The problem is, that isopropyl alcohol is very easily oxidized by nitric acid, this will release plumes of poisonous nitrogen oxides and likewise
easily run away. One big problem is that, at first when nitric acid and isopropanol are mixed, if done in the cold and the acid is free of NOx, not
much will happen. But with time and warming, a trace of NOx will form and cause a reaction to quickly initiate that I guarantee will project most of
the contents of that flask onto your ceiling with a plume of orange smoke.
Don't do it.
GreenD - 31-3-2011 at 07:59
yeah... why would you want to do this?
redox - 1-4-2011 at 18:27
What is the advantage of using isopropanol? Do you have a morbid excess of it?