Is there a chemical that eats glass?

Hydrofluoric acid is a solution of hydrogen fluoride (HF) in water and is a precursor to almost all fluorine compounds. It is a colorless solution that is highly corrosive, capable of dissolving many materials, especially oxide and its ability to dissolve glass has been known since the 17th century.

What chemical can dissolve glass?

Generally, acids that can dissolve glass are those containing the element fluorine. This is due to the chemical ability of fluorine to break silicon dioxide bonds found in glass. Examples of acids that can dissolve glass are hydrofluoric acid, fluorosulfuric acid and fluoroantimonic acid.

Will Drano dissolve glass?

Drano. Dissolving glass is a pretty amazing trick we covered in this article. We used sodium hydroxide to eat away and dissolve a glass jar. However, Drano contains other things besides sodium hydroxide that apparently do not take kindly to being heated!

Does sodium hydroxide dissolve glass?

Glass is one of the least reactive substances known to chemistry. Sodium hydroxide, aka solid drain cleaner or lye, can easily be stored in glass as a solid, but when molten, it reacts violently with glass and can actually dissolve it away!

How do you make glass dissolve?

Introduction: Dissolve Glass With Drain Cleaner Using sodium hydroxide (drain cleaner) we dissolve glass. Glass is nearly invulnerable to chemicals and thus why it’s the preferred material for chemical containers and reaction vessels. But when exposed to molten sodium hydroxide even glass will dissolve.

Can caustic soda dissolve glass?

Sodium hydroxide, aka solid drain cleaner or lye, can easily be stored in glass as a solid, but when molten, it reacts violently with glass and can actually dissolve it away!

What can eat through glass?

First, HF (hydrofluoric acid) has the property that it can eat through glass. Glass is mainly SiO2, and since no element but F has the ability to dislodge oxygen from its bond, glass containers are used for all sorts of acids (HCl, H2SO4, HNO3).

How do you make Fluoroantimonic acid?

Fluoroantimonic acid is made by combining hydrogen fluoride (HF) with antimony pentafluoride (SbF5), resulting in an acid that is 1016 times stronger than sulphuric acid. The hydrogen ion in HF is attached to fluorine by a very weak dipolar bond, which accounts for the extreme acidity of the superacid.

Does lye eat glass?

Does lye hurt glass?

Lye will react with metals such as aluminum, cast iron and steel. It should be stored and mixed in ceramic, stoneware, glass or heat-resistant plastic containers. Glass should be used with caution because it may break due to the heat released when lye reacts.

Can you use a dissolver to dissolve glass?

Glass Dissolver. Sodium hydroxide is perfectly capable of dissolving your skin in addition to glass. Also, it reacts with other chemicals, so you have to be certain you perform this project in a steel or iron container.

What is the acid that dissolves glass?

Any acid whose anion has affinity to form bonds with silicon that is greater than Oxygen will readily dissolve glass. Hydrofluoric acid is an example, but there are other super-acids such as Fluoro-antimonic acid [math]H_2SbF_6[/math] that should not be stored in glass containers.

While the molten sodium hydroxide will dissolve glass, it will not react with steel. Just about any soup can or cat food tin will work as a dissolving chamber. Aluminum will not work, as it would dissolve.

Does hydrofluoric acid dissolve glass?

In practical terms, hydrofluoric acid dissolves glass. Other acids can attack glass, but it is a SLOW process. I used to be a glass blower, and one night, I left a test tube-size piece of glass in a solution of HF. The next morning, it was gone. Zero evidence left in the container.