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Author: Subject: Weird nitric acid after 2 to 3 months storage
Dragonjack12
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[*] posted on 21-7-2019 at 13:23
Weird nitric acid after 2 to 3 months storage


I had just moved my nitric acid bottle in my work space and notice that there was a whole bunch of solid stuff that seems to have precipitated out. Has anyone had this problem before? I'll test some of the properties of the solid in a little bit just want to make sure that when I redistill the nitric acid (its fuming) that the solid won't be flammable or something. The acid is stored in a glass bottle and the lid has not been damaged. There was foam over in the preparation of this acid but I redistilled after initial preparations so I don't think that it would be potassium sulfate. The acid was produced through the potassium nitrate sulfuric acid distillation method.



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XeonTheMGPony
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[*] posted on 22-7-2019 at 04:24


Yes! matter of fact I had exact same thing, seemed all most like a gell.

I suspect it was some carry over from distilling it of the salts and small contaminants in the condenser.
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Herr Haber
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[*] posted on 23-7-2019 at 00:23


Upon finishing a bottle many years ago I saw something inside.
It was a gel or snot like substance that had grown from one wall to the other.
Never knew what it was but still curious. Acid was bought.




The spirit of adventure was upon me. Having nitric acid and copper, I had only to learn what the words 'act upon' meant. - Ira Remsen
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XeonTheMGPony
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[*] posted on 23-7-2019 at 04:43


Quote: Originally posted by Herr Haber  
Upon finishing a bottle many years ago I saw something inside.
It was a gel or snot like substance that had grown from one wall to the other.
Never knew what it was but still curious. Acid was bought.


Makes me feel better! I thought I screwed some thing up despite best efforts.

I wounder what it is, as I am fairly neurotic at cleaning my glass wear when running a synth
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AJKOER
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[*] posted on 23-7-2019 at 18:30


Need some ideas? A possible guess (speculation) would be an adduct, like O(2)NOOCO(2)-, created from say CO2 exposure (from boiling) and light (which may induce the formation of HNO4, peroxynitric acid). A proposed pathway to HNO4, starting with nitric acid in light is:

HONO2 + Light (lab light in particular) --> .OH + .NO2

HNO3 = H+ + NO3-

.OH + NO3- = OH- + .NO3

.OH + .NO3 = O(2)NOOH (peroxynitric acid)

O(2)NOOH = H+ + O(2)NOO-

O(2)NOO- + CO2 <--?--> O(2)NOOCO(2)-

which is speculation based on the reported formation of the adduct ONOOCO(2)(-) from peroxynitrous acid at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12844299 .
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Sulaiman
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[*] posted on 23-7-2019 at 18:47


I suspect the storage vessels;
HDPE (or other plastic) bottles are good for shipping liquids as they are not as heavy or fragile as glass,
I prefer to transfer liquids from hdpe to glass vessels asap.




CAUTION : Hobby Chemist, not Professional or even Amateur
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XeonTheMGPony
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[*] posted on 23-7-2019 at 18:54


I use Amber glass bottles.
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Arthur Dent
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[*] posted on 24-7-2019 at 07:17


My original glass bottle from Anachemia is kept in a plastic bin, and aside from a few fumes collecting on the surface of the glass (the cap isn't fume-proof), the label is still in perfect shape and the HNO3 is still perfectly clear. I bought that bottle over 25 years ago (and it's still 3/4 full).




--- Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. - Frank Zappa ---
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