Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Plastic vs glass stoppered bottels

willchem - 2-10-2012 at 08:54

I tryed to search for this topic but could not find anything. Is plastic such as HDPE better than glass stoppered bottels for storing concentrated acids. The reason I ask is that my nitric acids cap is corroding. I should not have to worry with a glass stopper. But are ther any downsides to useing glass stoppered bottels

mr.crow - 2-10-2012 at 09:09

I have not used them personally. All the glass stoppered bottles I have seen looked really cheap, but the old style apothecary bottles might be good quality.

Glass stoppers tend to freeze like glass joints. Also its not a perfect seal since liquid can seep through and wet the inside of the joint. Using grease doesn't seem like a good idea for contamination.

Is this fuming nitric acid? This is hard to store, but 70% should be ok

willchem - 2-10-2012 at 09:28

No its not fuming its 70%. What about puting teflon tape around the stopper? would this not make a better seal and stop the freezing issue? I have some 6M. nitric acid in a glass stoppered bottel and I have'nt had a problem. but it is not 70%

UnintentionalChaos - 2-10-2012 at 09:29

Use a teflon lined cap on a glass bottle and store the acid cold. I have 90% white nitric acid stored this way at -20C with absolutely no problems for over a year now.

Lambda-Eyde - 2-10-2012 at 09:47

I'll reiterate what I have said earlier:
Quote: Originally posted by Lambda-Eyde  
I store my ~25 ml of bromine in one of these, the one on the left with a red cap. The red caps are far more durable than the standard blue ones, which are made of PP. The red ones are melamine with a ETFE pouring ring and PTFE liner IIRC.

It still smells, though. Storing the bottle in a tightly closed plastic box filled with sodium thiosulfate might solve that problem as well as make storage more secure. Alternatively, you could store it in a refrigerator or fridge, but only if you have one dedicated to lab use.


I have stored 65% nitric in a similar bottle for many years now, but I think the red caps are a bit overkill for that purpose. They should be perfect for storing fuming nitric acid, though.

mr.crow - 2-10-2012 at 10:25

The red GL45 caps are Polybutyleneteraphthalate with PTFE liner. I saw them on ebay a while ago and didn't get it D'OH. I expect bromine would destroy this after a while too

HCl is also extremely annoying to store. I put it in a sealed container with an open jar containing baking soda or NaOH

Lambda-Eyde - 2-10-2012 at 10:29

Quote: Originally posted by mr.crow  
The red GL45 caps are Polybutyleneteraphthalate with PTFE liner. I saw them on ebay a while ago and didn't get it D'OH. I expect bromine would destroy this after a while too

I've had my bromine in this container for 2-3 years now, without any sign of deterioration. Anyways I think of anything better to store it in, short of ampouling it. Baffcat ("Laboratory Stuff and Fishy Things") on eBay used to have these, not sure if he still does.
Quote: Originally posted by mr.crow  
HCl is also extremely annoying to store. I put it in a sealed container with an open jar containing baking soda or NaOH

I've never had any significant problems with HCl stored in the bottles they came in (30%) and glass GL45 bottles with PP caps (20%).

willchem - 2-10-2012 at 10:42

Hydrochloric acid fumes badly,even in tightly closed containers. I also placed my HCl in a seperate sealed container and the label was soon destroyed. But I did not have any backing soda in it.

bfesser - 2-10-2012 at 10:57

bottel → bottle
tryed → tried
ther → there
useing → using
backing → baking

I'm not implying that your posts need be perfect, but for fuck's sake...

Also, I'm fairly certain that your question has been discussed elsewhere on this forum. In the future, use the search function before posting new threads.

My 2¢; invest in bottles with PTFE lined caps.

mr.crow - 2-10-2012 at 11:02

Quote: Originally posted by Lambda-Eyde  
Quote: Originally posted by mr.crow  
The red GL45 caps are Polybutyleneteraphthalate with PTFE liner. I saw them on ebay a while ago and didn't get it D'OH. I expect bromine would destroy this after a while too

I've had my bromine in this container for 2-3 years now, without any sign of deterioration. Anyways I think of anything better to store it in, short of ampouling it. Baffcat ("Laboratory Stuff and Fishy Things") on eBay used to have these, not sure if he still does.
Quote: Originally posted by mr.crow  
HCl is also extremely annoying to store. I put it in a sealed container with an open jar containing baking soda or NaOH

I've never had any significant problems with HCl stored in the bottles they came in (30%) and glass GL45 bottles with PP caps (20%).


Yeah that's the one. Doesn't seem to have it anymore. VWR has them (expensive) and the website sells to individuals

HCl always leaks out of the bottle slowly and wrecks stuff nearby. 70% nitric is more sedate but slowly reacts with the cap. bromine does both!

willchem - 2-10-2012 at 11:12

Sorry for the not so perfect post. just got off work. Need sleep.