Hydrofluoric acid
Hydrofluoric acid, HF, is a fuming industrial acid of low strength. It is a solution of hydrogen fluoride in water, and has incredible corrosive abilities, most notably towards glass. It is advised that all but the most experienced amateur chemists stay away from it.
Contents
Properties
Chemical
Hydrofluoric acid is usually considered a weak acid, and it is indeed weaker than the other hydrohalic acids (pKa 3.17, mid-strength). However, in high concentrations it behaves like a strong acid, because it starts to protonate itself, forming H2F+ cations which are much more acidic than H3O+. It is probably one of the most corrosive acids, even when very diluted. It is able to dissolve glass, forming hexafluorosilicic acid and water.
- SiO2 + 6 HF → H2SiF6 + 2 H2O
However, due to the tendency of certain fluorides to be insoluble in water, some metals and metal alloys are able to resist it effectively, including nickel and copper and many alloys containing either.
Physical
Hydrofluoric acid is a solution of hydrogen fluoride in water, and thus has properties between those of water and pure hydrogen fluoride.
Availability and Uses
Hydrofluoric acid is used as a source of the fluoride ion, and for making Chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs. It is rarely used in the home lab or even in college laboratories because of its extreme corrosive-ness and hazard to humans.
Hydrofluoric acid is available in some places as a 3-4% solution to etch glass. It is also used in many aluminium cleaning products.
Production
Although hydrofluoric acid is hazardous, it has been reported by sciencemadness.org members that it can be made by heating calcium fluoride (which can be obtained as a mineral) or sodium fluoride in sulfuric acid. Because HF acid dissolves glass or etches it, this is a very hard procedure. The set-up required to make hydrogen fluoride is usually made out of passivated copper or nickel. You can also use a cast lead retort, because lead is also passivated by hydrofluoric acid and is relatively easy to cast. To make the casting work easier, you can design the retort to consist of two parts, and seal the seam with PTFE tape.
Projects
- Glass etching
- Make fluorides
- Fluoroantimonic acid synthesis
Handling
Safety
The fluoride ion is able to precipitate calcium ions in the bloodstream, which can quickly cause hypocalcemia and death due to arrhythmia. Hydrofluoric acid will readily penetrate the skin, and if such an exposure occurs, calcium gluconate gel is the recommended treatment. Subcutaneous injections of calcium gluconate in the spot exposed to the acid are also recommended.
Besides the exposure to fluoride ions, hydrofluoric acid will readily burn the skin, though the burns may not be immediately evident until a day later.
A fume hood or a glovebox is very recommended if you want to experiment with this acid. If you use a glovebox, make sure it's made of plastic and has no glass walls, because fumes of hydrogen fluoride tend to etch glass and make it misty and opaque, hampering your ability to observe what's going on inside the box.
Storage
Hydrofluoric acid should be stored in a tightly sealed polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) bottle.
Disposal
HF must be neutralized before disposal. Calcium hydroxide is a good neutralizing agent.
