Sciencemadness Discussion Board

COULD HAVE BEEN BAD--H2SO4 vs. PETE bottles

arkoma - 11-8-2021 at 23:35

Not even thinking about PETE plastic being an ester, like a total noob I put approx 95% sulfuric in a pint plastic vodka bottle.

FORTUNATELY, I DID then put said bottle in a gallon sized ziploc, then set it down in a glass bowl. An hour or two later, the whole bottom of the vodka bottle was GONE due to acid hydrolysis, but the acid was contained by the ziploc.

Could have been a real fuck up boys and girls.

Check those compatibility charts.

j_sum1 - 12-8-2021 at 02:00

I ruined a favourite sports jacket one time at school. There was an unnoticed spill of H2SO4 on the bench and I leaned on it. I noticed some time later when one of my polyester sleeves turned to goo.

Fyndium - 12-8-2021 at 10:33

This is why it is always important to check compatibility. Only exceptions are when a sacrificial part is to be used, for example I use cheap PVC tubing for all kinds of purposes and simply replace it when it corrupts. But for storing anything, at any length basically unless you want to contaminate your product, it must be fully compatible. Good rule of thumb is that HDPE is good for most stuff, except for strong oxidizers like fuming nitric acid, and it also does not like mating with hot stuff. This comes with caveat, because HDPE is routinely adulterated with calcium carbonate filler to cheap it out. This works great for consumer products and also for solvents and other that does not react with it, but one must find out that the plastic is not cut with anything prior to use. I have understood that clearer the PE, the less likely it contains fillers.

It is also wise idea to not use any food vessels to store hazardous materials. There is a risk of mix-up, unless very clearly labeled and kept separate, but after that, you just end up looking like meth lab, or at least amateurish. I know of cases where stuff is actually mislabeled and hidden within containers of random stuff and even consumables due to various motives, but this is not just extremely dangerous, but many times outright criminal.

Decent containers can be gotten from consumer chemical bottles and jars. Cook off the labels with near-boiling water, dry and clean them up, and attach your own labels. Many such containers are actually used to store chemicals, and they can be either obtained cheap, or likely free when people, even you or some of your friend or relative discards them.

karlos³ - 12-8-2021 at 11:44

If I would have been there in person, I would have pointed somewhere far and said "look, thats the reason your bottle broke", and then slapped him on the back of his head when looking into that direction.

Because apparently, there is a lot of truth in it :P

Arky, If you wouldn't be around 20€/25$ away, I would send you a parcel full of empty (amber!) bottles and containers, partially containing really evil things before so they need to be washed out.
But man!
PET is chemically incompatible as it can get :D

[Edited on 12-8-2021 by karlos³]

Fyndium - 12-8-2021 at 12:27

It can store azeo ethanol, and likely other alcohols for quite long time. But for other stuff, just discard it.

rockyit98 - 12-8-2021 at 22:00

can store H2SO4 about up to 50% in PET bottles no problem. at least battery acid can.

Tsjerk - 13-8-2021 at 14:57

Concentrated sulfuric is fine for years in HDPE.

arkoma - 17-8-2021 at 04:34

I was dropping it off to someone on the way to the DFW airport last week, in a hurry, and DAMN sure not thinking.

j_sum1m I have a funny (now) H2SO4 and clothing tale to relate from when i was a teenager. I SAT on an old car battery while wearing well aged Levi cutoffs. Believe I was drunk, because i had them on the next morning and the entire ass fell out...........just enough nastiness on that battery top to whammy those cut-offs.