werdy666 - 19-1-2021 at 05:11
Hi there, Noob here!
I have recently started to acquire some chemicals and been watching youtube and reading these forums a lot. From what I have seen it can be hard to
get some chemicals and especially Sulfuric Acid and Nitric Acid. Both of which are very useful in a lab.
So far I have not had much luck with Nitric Acid
I found a website in Australia that claimed to sell 98% Sulfuric Acid.
https://www.rapidcleannewcastle.com.au/product/1831-sulfuric...
Went there and got myself 2x1 Litre bottles. Its nice and clear. I assume being a beginner this was the good stuff to get. Scientific Chemical supply
places want around $80(+ postage) for the same 2 litres I got for $26.
For my amateur newbie purposes I believe this was a good purchase?
The Nitric acid has been a lot harder to find. One place I could get 5L(68%) delivered for around $90. Bosca Chemicals they are called I think. But
they are now out of stock. 
Can anyone suggest where I can get a hold of some Nitric Acid in the Newcastle, NSW area?
Thanks
werdy666
j_sum1 - 19-1-2021 at 05:24
Chances are you will have to make it.
Fyndium - 19-1-2021 at 05:45
Nitric acid appears to be available at other places and other not so at all. Generally speaking, it would be cheaper and easier to make it yourself
either per need or stock it as 68%, as the precursors are usually available even in places where neither nitric nor sulfuric are, and cheaper, too,
because they are not hazardous materials.
Somewhere drain opener sulfuric acid is cheap and otc, somewhere like where I live it basically does not exist, only granulated pure sodium hydroxide.
B(a)P - 19-1-2021 at 11:25
Welcome to the forum, great to see another member from (relatively speaking) my party of the world. The sulfuric acid that you found is about the best
you will get as a technical grade product. I have used a similar product before and found it too be sufficiently free of contaminants for my purposes.
sulfuric acid
Nitric acid is trickier and a doubt you will be able to get your hands on any in Newcastle. Do you ever come to Sydney? If so I recommend getting in
touch with Lab Supply, they will sometimes sell to hobbyists. I highly doubt they would ship nitric acid to a hobbyist though. This is an expensive
option at $60 for 500 g. If you decide to talk to Lab Supply be very up front about your intentions. In Australia there is a code of conduct that
governs chemicals with the potential to either directly cause harm or be manufactured into something that can cause harm, think explosive
manufacturing for the purpose of a terrorist act. Nitric acid is obviously listed under that code. Lab Supply can not sell you a listed product unless
they are convinced you are using it for legitimate purposes.
Otherwise as j_sum1 suggests distillation may be your only option.
Depending on what you wish to do with the nitric acid you may also be able to make it in situ as part of your reaction. Given that nitric acid is
pretty tough to acquire in many parts of the world you will find a load of information on it in this forum.
Best of luck and report back how you go.
Lion850 - 19-1-2021 at 12:39
Science Essentials in Brisbane sells nitric acid to hobbyists. But I don’t know if they will ship and if they do the shipping alone will be
expensive. So probably only useful if you happen to pass by Brisbane.
werdy666 - 19-1-2021 at 14:08
Looks like I might have to get some more glassware! 
I did find an agricultural store who only have 20L containers of Nitric Acid and they want $130. They did say i need to have a ute to put it in but
they also then said they won't watch me put it in my car lol
20L is wayyyy to much though
Lion850 - 19-1-2021 at 15:28
$130 only for 20L?? Sound very cheap if reasonable concentration.
werdy666 - 19-1-2021 at 15:34
They told me it is 68%.
One question about the 20L drum.
What can I use to store say 1 litre of it in?
Is it possible to use a 28% concentration HCL Bottle?
Or shoud I buy a specific 1 litre empty bottle to store just a small amount of the Nitric acid in? And if so, Which One? there are so many different types.....
Lion850 - 19-1-2021 at 17:35
In my opinion it is easier and safer to have a small bottle for everyday use. I decant my 2L bottle into a clear borosilicate glass reagent bottle to
keep my day-to-day acids. Similar to the attached photo; you can get these from ebay. This may well be overkill and a HCl bottle may well work; wait
for more knowledgeable comments. And maybe a clear bottle is not ideal for nitric acid; amber may be better.
Fyndium - 20-1-2021 at 13:00
HDPE will keep azeotropic HNO3 well in order. I've got 0.5L bottles for over 10 years now without any deterioration.
Twospoons - 20-1-2021 at 14:00
Watch those plastic drums! The plastic "jerry can" style containers my Nitric came in developed tiny pinholes in the bottom, in the moulding seams.
End result was a large hole in the floor of my garage. Luckily I had some Schott 10l glass bottles - the acid lives in those now.
draculic acid69 - 27-1-2021 at 04:29
I can supply 1L bottles of nitric acid if needed.pm me if U r interested.im in Brisbane