Copper
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Chemical storage and ZnSO4
Currently I store solids in glass containers, and liquids in HDPE containers. I'm thinking of placing 4 molar sulfuric acid into the HDPE container,
but I'm not sure about leakage. Also what would be best to store hazardous solids?
Also, I'm trying to make ZnSO4. I plan to make it through Zn + H2SO4 (dilute). I would do that in a glass container. Then I need to evaporate it, but
I run into a problem. If I let is sit outside, it will gather dust and become impure. If I boil it, the glass may crack (I'm using a glass jar), and
it might burn the ZnSO4. Otherwise the ZnSO4 may spit out like the time I tried to boil off water from a salt solution.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
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Deathunter88
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Solids in glass and liquids in HDPE seems ok. On rare occasions concentrated acids will slowly degrade HDPE but that is very rare. 4molar sulphuric
acid is even fine in PET containers so storing in HDPE is fine. Just leave your solution of zinc sulphate in a corner of a room and cover a with loose
sheet of paper towel.
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Copper
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Thanks for the help, I'm wondering if the paper towel might seal off the container and set up equilibrium though?
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cyanureeves
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do ground glass botles with stoppers really work for nitric acid? does any one here use these?there a couple of bottles on ebay right now for sale
but i dont know.i have a bunch of those qorpak but the lids even though have teflon do eventually leak. i noticed the bottles sold by finn scientific
have a teflon rim on top of the bottle itself.that teflon rim is what i think make these containers work as opposed to just a teflon liner on a qorpak
lid.finn scientific only sells to teachers and schools too,i have even thought about buying a bottle of nitric acid just for the bottle.i can make
nitric acid though.
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greenlight
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I used to use glass reagent bottles with ground glass stoppers for 98% Sulphuric and 70% Nitric acid.
They work but I used to wrap a layer of PTFE plumbers thread tape around the stopper which would makes it airtight and change the tape every couple of
months.
Be good, otherwise be good at it 
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cyanureeves
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thanks greenlight for your answer as i was just about to delete my question above.of course teflon tape will make a good gasket wrapped around the
ground glass.problemo solved.
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maleic
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HDPE can accommodate 100% and strong acid between 20-60， all have good corrosion resistance。
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greenlight
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This is correct, I have a large HDPE container for 62% HNO3 that is from 2006 which I use to store it and distribute smaller portions into glass
reagent bottles for refrigerator storage when needed. I only just had to change to a fresh HDPE container as the plastic was getting quite brittle.
[Edited on 28-10-2015 by greenlight]
Be good, otherwise be good at it
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agent_entropy
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@ Copper The paper towel might slow the evaporation slightly, but it's more than porous enough to let water vapor escape.
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ahill
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@cyanureeves I keep my >90% nitric acid in ground glass stoppered bottles which are then kept in ziplock plastic bags. After a few months, the
bags always have a little acid in the bottom - so its far from optimal.
I've started using PTFE tape on the stoppers, and that seems a little better - but really, I'm still not very happy with it.
These days, I just keep conc H2SO4, and make what nitric acid I need as I need it, and only ever store what is left over.
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annaandherdad
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Copper, a problem you may have with making ZnSO4 from Zn + H2SO4 is that there will always be a bit of H2SO4 left over (of course less and less the
longer you leave the Zn metal in there). But one way to take care of this is to take a small sample of your ZnSO4 solution (presumably with some
H2SO4 still in it), add Na2CO3. This will neutralize the excess acid and precipitate ZnCO3. Filter, wash and dry the ZnCO3, then add to the ZnSO4 +
H2SO4 mixture. This will neutralize the excess H2SO4. Then filter to remove the excess ZnCO3 and what's left is pure ZnSO4 solution. It
crystallizes just fine when you dry it.
Any other SF Bay chemists?
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