Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Where can I buy Over The Counter Nitric Acid?

sbbspartan - 7-4-2012 at 11:27

I want some nitric acid, around 70% or higher for a variety of experiments, involving making some aqua regia and some nitrocellulose. I have a distillation setup and all of the required chemicals to make nitric acid, but it is a lot of work with little yield. Are there any stores that sell OTC nitric acid. I have heard that it is used in photography, hydrophonics, and as a concrete etcher, but I still haven't found any. Does anyone know any brand names, or stores like lowes or home depot that carry it. I would also prefer not to buy it online as it is very expensive and requires hazmat fees. I live in Minnesota, USA if that helps. If I can't find any, then I will distill some, but I would prefer not to, as it takes a while and is dangerous. Thanks.

sbbspartan - 7-4-2012 at 11:33

Sorry, I accidentally posted the topic twice somehow.

Hexavalent - 7-4-2012 at 11:43

Do some searching around the forum before posting, please. Plenty of topics have already been discussed relating to the matter.

Delete the double post, by removing the first message of the thread, and do some searching instead of asking to be spoonfed.

DougTheMapper - 7-4-2012 at 11:47

If you drive to Detroit I can give you some. :D

Otherwise I can ship it, but hazmat fees apply.

elementcollector1 - 7-4-2012 at 13:23

Try making some, silly! Just electrolyze a nitrate with a heck-of-a-ton of current to make nitric acid and the metal hydroxide. (At least, I think that's how it goes...)

Steve_hi - 7-4-2012 at 14:25

Go to someone that has green houses they use nitric and sulphuric acids to achieve the required Ph for growing things. that where I got mine for about 6$ a litre

hyfalcon - 11-4-2012 at 18:57

Not quite up to your 70% but try this:

http://www.dudadiesel.com/search.php?query=nitric&i=info...

annaandherdad - 11-4-2012 at 20:11

When I was a teenage amateur chemist, I could by liters of HNO3, H2SO4 etc quite cheaply, and had no trouble having them shipped to my house. Times have changed.

Last year I bought a half liter of HNO3 from a place here in the Bay Area (Art Chemicals). I drove down there to pick it up so there were no shipping charges but it was still quite expensive.

Later I found out I could order through my work, so I started buying from Sargent Welch. Very cheap and easy, just like when I was a kid. But most people wouldn't have my institutional connections.

If you want to pay a fortune you can get HNO3 from Amazon. I know it's a pita. They say that Elemental Scientific will sell it, but it must be expensive.

Maybe if you went in with someone else you could buy a large amount and hopefully cut down on the overhead. I mean maybe several liters, something you could split.

Bot0nist - 11-4-2012 at 20:13

What are you talking about? The yield from distillation of nitrate salt and sulfuric acid is fine, and the procedure is straight forward. It is sold online all over the place, but a hazmat is always required. It is cheaper for me to distill the azeotrope as I have the glass, and all the precursors available in bulk.

jamit - 11-4-2012 at 22:40

If you live in the United States you can buy Heavy Duty Concrete Clean & Etch by Sikagard. it contains nitric acid (20%) and phosphoric acid, water, and some soapy additive. You can distill out the nitric acid.

Otherwise, order from Elemental Scientific in Wisconsin. They are a reliable source for home chemists... the slow and inconsistent delivery is their only drawback.

Good luck!

annaandherdad - 12-4-2012 at 08:04

Quote: Originally posted by jamit  
If you live in the United States you can buy Heavy Duty Concrete Clean & Etch by Sikagard. it contains nitric acid (20%) and phosphoric acid, water, and some soapy additive. You can distill out the nitric acid.

Otherwise, order from Elemental Scientific in Wisconsin. They are a reliable source for home chemists... the slow and inconsistent delivery is their only drawback.

Good luck!


I agree, I've always got what I wanted from Elemental Scientific, but their delivery is slow (a month sometimes). And I've paid a lot in hazmat fees for certain items from them (eg Mg powder).