Making Nitric Acid --> FAILED !!

[Noxx]

Yes my batch of nitric just failed.
When I came back home, there was two holes in the bottle where I was making the nitric acid. I don't know if it's the acid of the heat who made them. Here is what I learned:
-Never use LDPE plastic. The best is HDPE.
-Do not take a too thin container because heat can possibly melt it.

Be careful with this stuff ! Hopefully, I did everything outside.
Be safe, it isn't stuff to deal lightly with.

 

[lazersteve]

Noxx,

I would recommend pyrex glass when dealing with reactions involving heat. Adding the ingredients slowly helps keep the heat down as well.

Steve

 

[Noxx]

I did everything outside at 5°C. But in the future I will use pyrex.

 

[ThePierCer]

I seem to be having a LOT of trouble finding nitric acid here in RI. I guess good drain cleaner is hard to find.
Can I just make the nitric acid? I have the sodium Nitrate already. Isn't it 1oz to 1qt distilled HOT water? Will that work for disolving my dase metals and silver? Then use salt to get the silver out??

Thanks for your help guys

 

[Noxx]

Hum... no. You better found drain cleaner then make nitric acid. I will post a new tutorial soon. Drain opener isn't really hard to find. Even in Canada is easy to get some. Even if you don't get very pure sulfuric acid, you can make nitric acid.

 

[ThePierCer]

well i just got lucky, one on my clients is a plummer and just dropped off a gallon of Rooto professional drain opener ....... So tonight i'll be doing my first tests with the cell
wish me luck..

 

[lazersteve]

Piercer,
The Rooto drain opener is Sulfuric Acid not nitric.

The nitric comes when you mix it with sodium nitrate in the proper portions.

Be careful,

Steve

 

[ThePierCer]

wow, I guess I was misinformed I was told you mix 1qt of Sulfuric Acid to 1/2 cup of Sodium Nitrate, then let it sit over night. Pour off the Acid and leaveing the salts at the bottom.
Is this soultion not strong enough for the cell?? Will it be strong onough to disolve me silver???? And is it OK to mix this solution with battery acid?? Or will that have an adverse reaction??

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[lazersteve]

Piercer,

You can make dilute nitric from sulfuric and sodium nitrate, but that is not what is used in the electrolytic cell.

Yes, you can use the mix as you stated to dissolve silver.

I think there is some confusion as to which acid is used for each purpose:

Sulfuric (drain opener) is for the electrolytic cell.

Nitric (as per your posted formula) is for dissolving base metals and silver.

Steve

 

[ThePierCer]

Steve, you truely are an asset to this forum.

well i just got lucky, one on my clients is a plummer and just dropped off a gallon of Rooto professional drain opener ....... So tonight i'll be doing my first tests with the cell
wish me luck..

thats where i got confused. I thought in my cell I could use drain cleaner and glycerin. And use the Nitric for my silver.

Your repy

Piercer,
The Rooto drain opener is Sulfuric Acid not nitric.

The nitric comes when you mix it with sodium nitrate in the proper portions.

Be careful,

Steve

when I posted I finally got my rooto for my cell is what threw me off a bit. I thought you were telling me not to use rooto in the cell.

thank you again, and again, and again.