I'm looking for a small quantity (~1 gal) of technical grade nitric acid for use in etching, bright dips, and passivating. Does anyone know of a good online/mail order source? Or could I find this at some kind of local industrial supply or some such company? I've found a few online sellers but they want $80 or more for a gallon, plus hazmat and shipping charges. Surely the stuff can be had for less than this...
Thanks. Bert
I did this search recently and failed utterly. I eventually begged a few ml off a chemist I know.
Be aware that it is illegal for to possess nitric acid in a home in some places, especially in Kalifornia.
GWE
Bert wrote:
I'd say keep trying, there should be a supplier to schools or commercial laboratories that will supply you. If Google fails you, try to find who sells to a local senior school or company with a metallurgy Lab (large steel fabricators or Major engineering firms, possibly even good scrap yards)
In the UK here I can buy it in liter sized bottles for the equivalent of $36/US gallon Inc taxes but plus delivery. I have to provide "end user certification" ie. tell the supplier what I'm going to use it for and they can take up to 14 days before they ship to allow them to check the order (and possibly tell The Man). They would probably look askance at an order for Nitric, Sulphuric and Glycerol at the moment...
They'll even ship internationally, but I doubt that'd be worth it!
By the way. A gallon is a hell of a lot of nitric acid.
For people local to me:-
Good luck Mark Rand (Usual disclaimers) RTFM
I suspect - haven't tried but intend to - find some at a Farm and Feed place. A Vet might have some. I believe it is used in horse raising... I want to say hoof - but I'm not a horse person at all.
Martin
Martin H. Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net NRA LOH & Endowment Member NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member
Grant Erw> I did this search recently and failed utterly. I eventually begged a few
Mark sez: They would probably look askance at an order for
Not to worry, Mark. The ordinary commercial strength nitric acid is not strong enough for making nitroglycerine (glyceroltrinitrate). Nitro manufacturers generally make their own nitric acid of requisite strength from potassium nitrate.
Bob Swinney
That's nice to know. I'll just go back to making ether with Southern Comfort and battery acid then :-)
Mark Rand RTFM
When I used to do stone lithography the studio bought all their supplys from Graphic Chemical and Ink, Villa Park Il.
It's been a few years so I don't know about their prices but they used to be a source.
Fisher Scientific:
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