Corrosive to metals, strongly acidic in acids, so how can one store this compound safely?
When it comes to acids, you will immediately think of a dangerous solution that can corrode metals, destroy skin or clothes. But have you ever wondered which acid is the strongest in the world?
In chemistry, we define acids as chemical compounds that are soluble in water and have a sour taste, usually expressed as the general formula HxAy.
Contrary to bases, acidic solutions have a pH less than 7 when dissolved in water and each acid has its own pH index indicating their strength and weakness, the smaller the pH number, the stronger the acidity and vice versa. .
Common types of solutions and their pH. (Photo: Flick).
As mentioned above, each acid will have a certain pH index or in other words, it is possible to evaluate the strength of the acid based on the pH scale. The lower the pH value, the stronger the acid, each decrease in pH means the acidity will increase 10 times!
For example: Lemon juice has a pH of 2, and the acid in our stomach has a pH of 1 which means that the acidity in our stomach is 10 times stronger than a cup of lemon juice.
But the pH scale is limited to 0, so to measure strong acids (with a pH lower than 0), we also need to add the Hammett acidity function.
In fact, the acid with the smallest pH known to man until now has an index of negative 31.3, which means Fluoroantimonic acid has the chemical formula H 2 FSbF 6 . Chemists also call it ” super acid” because of its strong acidity that no other acid can match.
Most of us know the familiar strong inorganic acid as H₂SO₄ – sulfuric acid , an acid that can corrode many metals like iron and aluminum even when diluted and is very dangerous in concentrated form.
Sulfuric acid is nothing compared to super acid! (Photo: Periodic Videos).
Then, to dilute this solution, you need to equip yourself with a shirt, face shield, gloves and PVC apron, then slowly add the acid to the water, stir well, absolutely do not do the opposite or it will be very dangerous. dangerous.
This is the type of acid that you will hardly find any acid in nature that is more acidic than it. However, compared to the strongest super acid in the world, this acid is also… not penetrating because:
Fluoroantimonic acid is 10 to the 16th power (10 million billion) times stronger than even 100% concentrated sulfuric acid!
To contain this acid, a synthetic polymer Polytetrafluoroethylene PTFE is used. (Photo: Photo Credit: Game Freak / Youtube).
In addition, super acid can also destroy almost all organic compounds or even the container, so it cannot be stored in a bottle like other acids.
One must use a synthetic polymer Polytetrafluoroethylene PTFE, also known as Teflon for short, to contain it.