Acid vs. base on aluminum
 

Please don't try this without a vapor hood, eih?
phil k.

http://www.wimp.com/cokecans/

Acid vs. base on aluminum
 

"Phil Kangas" wrote in message
...
Please don't try this without a vapor hood, eih? phil k.

http://www.wimp.com/cokecans/



Good link Phil. Thanks.

I was etching some 3mm x 10mm aluminium flat bar brackets in sodium
hydroxide so I could paint them. I forgot a batch and left them etching
overnight. In the morning there was absolutely no bracket metal left at all,
only a white paste in the bottom of the container - bugger!

Acid vs. base on aluminum
 

On Wed, 24 Nov 2010 18:05:48 -0500, "Phil Kangas"
wrote:

Please don't try this without a vapor hood, eih?
phil k.

http://www.wimp.com/cokecans/



Interesting!

Considering that the video originated in a university (well,
Nottingham, anyway :-) chemistry department their explanations were
somewhat sloppy.

What was the nature of the fumes? Hydrogen on the acid side?

I have never tried etching aluminum but this gives me some ideas...

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

Acid vs. base on aluminum
 

On Nov 24, 8:20*pm, wrote:
...
What was the nature of the fumes? Hydrogen on the acid side?

I have never tried etching aluminum but this gives me some ideas...

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

NaOH and Al also generate hydrogen.

Acid vs. base on aluminum
 

Acid vs. base on aluminum
 

I had a 2 gallon tank of hot Ferric Chloride getting
ready for etching some boards - and a student - naturally -
stuck the end of a Electrolytic capacitor - Al can - into the
acid to see what would happen. The rapid reaction startled
him and he dropped it into the tank. That was a messy
cleanup and the acid was reduced to trash.

Martin

On 11/24/2010 8:20 PM, Lloyd E. Sponenburgh wrote:
fired this volley in
:

What was the nature of the fumes? Hydrogen on the acid side?

I have never tried etching aluminum but this gives me some ideas...



It was hydrogen, as you guessed, with liquid mist incorporated.

Aluminum may be etched with a number of substances. Bubbles of gas
liberated during etching have both good and bad effects. They stir the
liquid, accelerating the process, but they also promote undercutting of
any resist you apply.

Ferric chloride does an amazingly good job on aluminum. (yeah, the same
stuff you use to etch copper-clad pcb material.) But you do have to
agitate it, for lack of stirring bubbles.

LLoyd

Acid vs. base on aluminum
 

Lloyd E. Sponenburgh writes:

They stir the
liquid, accelerating the process, but they also promote undercutting of
any resist you apply.

Must have undercut the plastic internal coating on the aluminum, which the
teacher was too much of a dunce to recognize.

Acid vs. base on aluminum
 

On Nov 24, 4:20*pm, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote:
fired this volley :

What was the nature of the fumes? Hydrogen on the acid side?

I have never tried etching aluminum but this gives me some ideas...

It was hydrogen, as you guessed, with liquid mist incorporated.

Aluminum may be etched with a number of substances. *Bubbles of gas
liberated during etching have both good and bad effects. *They stir the
liquid, accelerating the process, but they also promote undercutting of
any resist you apply.

Ferric chloride does an amazingly good job on aluminum. *(yeah, the same
stuff you use to etch copper-clad pcb material.) *But you do have to
agitate it, for lack of stirring bubbles.

LLoyd

works*on*steel*too.

Acid vs. base on aluminum
 

" fired this volley in
:

worksÿonÿsteelÿtoo.

How? It might scavange other metals from the alloy, leaving the iron to be
washed away as dust, but it's already iron "fully burnt" with chlorine.
It's iron chloride.

LLoyd

Acid vs. base on aluminum
 

On Nov 25, 4:25*am, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote:
" fired this volley :

worksÿonÿsteelÿtoo.

How? *It might scavange other metals from the alloy, leaving the iron to be
washed away as dust, but it's already iron "fully burnt" with chlorine. *
It's iron chloride.

Iron forms both ferric and ferrous ions (so it's only 'fully burnt'
when it
loses the third electron).

Acid vs. base on aluminum
 

I generally avoid double negatives, because they aren't clear, while
contradicting, and preventing misunderstanding of failures to
communicate while reversely obfuscating the absence of clarity.

"Please perform only within a fume hood" would been more clear. The
hydroxide really did a job.

Did you watch any of the other videos? This was fun. Serious talent.
http://www.wimp.com/buildsinstrument/

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Phil Kangas" wrote in message
...
Please don't try this without a vapor hood, eih?
phil k.

http://www.wimp.com/cokecans/

Acid vs. base on aluminum
 

whit3rd fired this volley in news:53f38714-2781-41e3-
:

Iron forms both ferric and ferrous ions (so it's only 'fully burnt'
when it
loses the third electron).

Yep. That wouldn't work, except I forgot that ferric chloride dissociates
in water solution, and becomes highly acidic. That allows the FeCl3 to
form ferric ions and HCl, and then in contact with iron, dissolves more to
form ferrous ions.

I take it back .... WOH, not "HOW?".

LLoyd

Acid vs. base on aluminum
 

On Thu, 25 Nov 2010 17:31:52 -0600, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote:

whit3rd fired this volley in news:53f38714-2781-41e3-
:

Iron forms both ferric and ferrous ions (so it's only 'fully burnt'
when it
loses the third electron).

Yep. That wouldn't work, except I forgot that ferric chloride dissociates
in water solution, and becomes highly acidic. That allows the FeCl3 to
form ferric ions and HCl, and then in contact with iron, dissolves more to
form ferrous ions.

I take it back .... WOH, not "HOW?".

LLoyd


I use it on steel all the time. it works OK. Don't get as deep an etch
as I get with electricity and common salt.

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

Acid vs. base on aluminum
 

On Wed, 24 Nov 2010 20:20:25 -0600, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote:

fired this volley in
:

What was the nature of the fumes? Hydrogen on the acid side?

I have never tried etching aluminum but this gives me some ideas...



It was hydrogen, as you guessed, with liquid mist incorporated.

Aluminum may be etched with a number of substances. Bubbles of gas
liberated during etching have both good and bad effects. They stir the
liquid, accelerating the process, but they also promote undercutting of
any resist you apply.

Ferric chloride does an amazingly good job on aluminum. (yeah, the same
stuff you use to etch copper-clad pcb material.) But you do have to
agitate it, for lack of stirring bubbles.


Thanks. I learn something every day. I will try Ferric Chloride (my
best friend!).

I wonder if aluminum would be amenable to some form of
electro-etching.

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

Acid vs. base on aluminum