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10/19/2014 6:06 AM  #1


HCL dilution?

Yesterday I bought a 1 liter bottle at the local paint store that says HCL (Hydrochloric Acid) 30% on it. The manufacturers data sheet says that the percentage value is based on weight.

The instruction sheet I have for my "chrome" platng kit says that I after cleaning should use a 15-20% HCL solution for activating the surface on my parts before plating.

To figure out how to dilute the 30% I read the info on this page: http://www.physiologyweb.com/calculators/percent_solutions_calculator.html but I need help to verify that my thinking and calculations are correct.

Is it correct that by adding the 1 liter bottle of 30% HCL that I have to 0.5 liter of distilled water it will get me a 20% solution and if I want a 15% solution I'll add it to 1 liter of distilled water? Is it really that simple?


 

 

10/19/2014 7:23 AM  #2


Re: HCL dilution?

I agree with your conclusion.(although my mind is still a little clouded from the Chivas I put away last night)
I clicked on a second page from the Link you provided to the calculator titled  Dilution Calculator-Molarity,Percent, and got the same results.

PS. I didn't Major in Chemistry or Mathematics.
 


66 Vert.  4.6 DOHC, 4R70 Auto, Heidt's M2 frontend
 

10/19/2014 7:28 AM  #3


Re: HCL dilution?

Hakan,
I have used this one with success. http://www.handymath.com/cgi-bin/hcltble3.cgi?submit=Entry  but I think your simple approach will get you close enough to pickle your parts correctly. You are basically etching the surface.
OH YEAH, REMEMBER YOUR PROTECTIVE GEAR.

Last edited by DC (10/19/2014 7:30 AM)

 

10/19/2014 8:47 AM  #4


Re: HCL dilution?

.
adding 1 gallon of water to 1 gallon of 30% hcl will make it 15% hcl
.

Last edited by barnett468 (10/19/2014 8:48 AM)

 

10/20/2014 2:09 AM  #5


Re: HCL dilution?

Thanks!

I think I'll mix a 20% solution to begin with. 1.5 liter would do it as it's only small parts that I am gonna plate anyway. In case I need more, the paint store is kind of close to where I live and they also sold the 30% HCL solution in 5 liter bottles.

     Thread Starter
 

10/20/2014 8:29 AM  #6


Re: HCL dilution?

Please remember:

Always Add Acid

Add the acid to the water and not the other way around to be safe. The acid is the reactant and it is easier to control the reaction this way. For HCl, you shouldn't have any issues, but it is a good idea to build good habits when dealing with chemicals.

BobN

 

10/20/2014 11:35 AM  #7


Re: HCL dilution?

kind of neat you posted this,  I have been researching removing rust using electrolysis.  Using rebar and a rubbermaid trash can.   Been thinking about trying it and seeing what happens.   There are warnings about hydrogen brittleness, but Ive been wondering how much that is a "real world" problem, or a threat to the rust removal industry.

Sorry to hijack....but I love science!

Last edited by Greg B (10/20/2014 11:36 AM)


If multiple things can go wrong, the one that will go wrong will be the one that causes the most damage.
 

10/20/2014 1:12 PM  #8


Re: HCL dilution?

No problems!

I've tried removing rust using electrolysis too as it made me curious when I ran into it when I researched plating and similar stuff. But as always each method to clean parts has it's advantages and disadvantages.

I bought this kit: http://gaterosplating.co.uk/Alkaline-Cleaner.php from the same place where I bought my plating kits and it actually does a pretty good job even stripping paint off from the parts I tried it on. I also tried a homemade mixture using baking soda and with similar results.

An easy way (IMO) to get the required power supply is to use a power supply unit from a desktop PC that if IIRC has 3.3V, 5.0V and 12.0V output.

Here's what my workbench looked like during a couple of month last winter:



From left to right we have the the copper plating tank, the "replica chrome" tank, the greenich liquid is distilled water, above that the acid pickle solution, in the white bucket to the right we have the cleaner.and in front of that a slightly modified PC power supply unit. The "replica chrome" is BTW a mix of nickel and cobolt and here's a couple of M10 bolts that I've plated:

     Thread Starter
 

10/20/2014 2:09 PM  #9


Re: HCL dilution?

Bake your parts. Hydrogen embrittlement is real. Parts need to be baked after platting. I will check with my platter for times and temps.
 


66 coupe, Now a 11 year garage ornament.
 

Board footera


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