Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Buying hydrogen peroxide >3% ??

NiK - 19-11-2013 at 16:09

I'm looking to purchase some hydrogen peroxide locally to make some copper chloride with. I'd like anything stronger than 15% as that is what I'm going to dilute it to.

I've read a lot about h202 pool shock but cannot determine exactly what pool chemical I need. Is it sold in the pool chemical section as a liquid "hydrogen peroxide" or is it a different chemical in powder form that creates hydrogen peroxide when mixed with water (that probably sound stupid to those of you who know more about chemicals and phases of matter)??

Aside from online, what is the best source of getting this h202??

Thanks!

Magpie - 19-11-2013 at 16:17

I can get 35% at my local health food store. It's expensive, however.

NiK - 19-11-2013 at 16:25

Quote: Originally posted by Magpie  
I can get 35% at my local health food store. It's expensive, however.


Great idea, there is one down the street from where I live. How much is it at your health food store??

Magpie - 19-11-2013 at 16:59

I can't remember. I'll try to remember to check tomorrow.

-------------------------------------

I just remembered that I have some in the refrigerator. The price was $23.50/pint.

[Edited on 20-11-2013 by Magpie]

blargish - 19-11-2013 at 17:16

There is a health food store near where I live called Ambrosia. They sell a litre of 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide for $19.50 or so. They also have a 4 litre size, but I'm not sure of the pricing. The hydrogen peroxide is marketed as "GoldTop Super Oxygen"

You can also find hydrogen peroxide in the pool section of some hardware stores. Look for something along the lines of "Chorine-free pool shock". I know of a brand named BAQUACIL that sells 30% peroxide for pool shock; it can be found at a few hardware stores.

[Edited on 20-11-2013 by blargish]

WGTR - 19-11-2013 at 19:03

I used to buy the 40 volume stuff at Sally Beauty Supply. That comes out to a bit over 12%. Mixed with muriatic acid, it etched
copper printed circuit boards very aggressively (too aggressively for my purposes). Other beauty supply stores may carry it.
If you buy it locally, I'd suggest not buying large quantities of it, or looking like you're about to make explosives with it. Beauty
supply stores periodically find their way into the news when some guy tries buying a caseload of peroxide and fingernail polish
remover in the same purchase.

Tdep - 19-11-2013 at 19:55

I found a liter of 50-60% peroxide in a pool store. (clark rubber Aussies)

It did however contain a small percentage of silver nitrate and cost $70 or so

Oopsy_daisy - 19-11-2013 at 23:01

I found my 30 % hydrogen peroxide at the paint store for aprox 15 $/litre

hyfalcon - 20-11-2013 at 03:26

HTH makes a 27% product that is available at most pool shops.

4 gallons runs right at $60.00

[Edited on 20-11-2013 by hyfalcon]

Dariusrussell - 20-11-2013 at 04:06

Just out of curiosity, what would the shelf life of something like HTH be? Since pools are massive (Volume wise) I'd expect you dump most of it in at once, so would it last the months or years on a shelf in a lab?

Pyro - 20-11-2013 at 04:40

I buy 30% at ''franco belge'' for +-10 eur/l

blargish - 20-11-2013 at 05:23

Quote: Originally posted by Dariusrussell  
Just out of curiosity, what would the shelf life of something like HTH be? Since pools are massive (Volume wise) I'd expect you dump most of it in at once, so would it last the months or years on a shelf in a lab?


I may be wrong, but I believe that these kinds of products almost always have some sort of stabilizer in them to slow the decomposition rate of the peroxide. This, along with storing it in a dark, cool place, keeps decomposition to a minimal. You will inevitably lose some peroxide, but maybe on the order of a couple percent a year with good storage. I have a bottle of 35% that I have stored for over a year and it has shown no noticeable decrease in strength

hyfalcon - 20-11-2013 at 06:04

I was wrong on the brand I buy, it's by Baquacil not HTH.

[Edited on 20-11-2013 by hyfalcon]

sbbspartan - 20-11-2013 at 07:38

I got mine from the local hardware store. It is used to bleach wood. This particular kit has two bottles in it - one with a sodium hydroxide solution and one with ~30% hydrogen peroxide. IIRC it was only a few dollars for each kit. It was called "Zinsser Wood Bleach Kit".

http://www.menards.com/main/paint/cleaners-thinners-removers...

crazyboy - 20-11-2013 at 10:37

I got 35% H2O2 at a beauty supply store, I believe it is sold for bleaching hair.

Muffn Man - 21-11-2013 at 11:57

Over here in Canada, you can get 35% H2O2 from hydroponics stores.

NiK - 21-11-2013 at 18:48

Well I ended up buying some pool chemical by BioGuard called SoftSwim, has a big red circle on it with a white "C" in it. The MSDS lists only 27.5 hydrogen peroxide even though it says it nowhere on the bottle. It was sold for about $18/gal and came in a plastic bag (well a jug inside a bag).

Anyone heard of this or knows if it would work? If the MSDS only lists hydrogen peroxide does that mean that's the primary chemical or just the only one considered hazardous?

Thanks

blargish - 21-11-2013 at 21:33

It should be fine. The MSDS only lists the chemicals deemed hazardous, but I think that the only other chemical in your peroxide may be a tiny amount of phosphoric acid or some other stabilizer. This, however, should have no effect on whatever you plan to do with the peroxide

*FWOOSH* - 21-11-2013 at 23:54

I get 30% H2O2 from hydroponics stores here in Michigan, it's even labeled H2O2 :D

Mesa - 29-11-2013 at 11:43

Quote: Originally posted by *FWOOSH*  
I get 30% H2O2 from hydroponics stores here in Michigan, it's even labeled H2O2 :D


I can second this, in my experience the vast majority of hydroponics stores(the ones that 'subtly' market to cannabis growers especially) are a good source for 35% H2O2. That being said, the 50% H2O2(and higher) products usually contain a good amount of impurities/stabilizing agents which make it fairly useless for a lot of reactions.

BlackDragon2712 - 3-12-2013 at 10:18

I can get 50%H2O2 at like 7 dollars at my local chemistry distribuitor. If you can't find any, then what about using sodium percarbonate? it's a source of very concentrated H2O2!! it shouldn't be really difficult to find!!

http://www.organic-chemistry.org/chemicals/oxidations/sodium...

Also I would recommend going to ebay... http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1311.R...