I have three bottles of Ferric Chloride that are used and at least 10 years old. One of the bottles has a lot of gunk at the bottom, the other two lesser amounts of gunk, but there is a layer left on the bottom. I basically decanted them, but I didn't have to do anything, the gunk just stayed in the bottle. From a previous thread, I find I can reactivate it by adding hydrochloric acid. Do I need the gunk at the bottom to reactivate the Ferric Chloride? Will Muriatic acid be fine? Mikek
I dug out the Ferric Chloride But...
Feb 05, 2011
4 Replies
If the soln was pure ferric chloride then the gunk is likely ferric oxide/hydroxide and/pr copper oxide. Adding HCl will put both of these back into soln as ferric chloride and cupric chloride
Dirk
http://www.neopax.com/technomage/ - My new book - Magick and Technology
The previous post suggested adding HCI then add iron, when it is dissolving with the production of hydrogen the solution is completely reduced. I added iron but I don't see any bubble production yet. Then it needs oxidizing, bleach or better is Sodium chlorate. How about Potassium nitrate? NaCLO3 vs KNO3 I have KNO3, that's why I ask. Mikek
I'd stick with HCl to keep the FeCL 'pure' and let the oxidizing happen through spray etching, using an aquarium air pump or leaving it in the etching tank.
Failure does not prove something is impossible, failure simply
indicates you are not using the right tools...
nico@nctdevpuntnl (punt=.)
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Do not mix chlorates with acid or you might well die.
Dirk
http://www.neopax.com/technomage/ - My new book - Magick and Technology
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