Oxyalic Acid

[EdEssery]

Trial and error. I buy it in pots of 500g crystals and generally want enough to cover my boat which seems to take between a third and half a bucket when it's slopped on. I now realise this is somewhat weaker than a saturated solution but it does a good job nevertheless!

Ed

 

[VicS]

Re: Oxalic Acid

I guess Metal Gleam is something more than just oxalic acid. If it were 10% oxalic acid and you dilute it about 50 fold that means it ends up only 0.2% and that's pretty dilute compared with what we have been talking about.

 

[Gunfleet]

Re: Oxalic Acid

[ QUOTE ]
The same stuff can be bought from brick supply companies, oxalic acid is used to clean bricks.

[/ QUOTE ]
I thought the brick stuff was muriatic, a weak version of sulphuric? (not a trick question... I'd like to know)

John

 

[VicS]

Re: Oxalic Acid

Muriatic acid and spirits of salts are old names for hydrochloric acid, which is what I too thought was in brick cleaner.

Oil of vitriol is the old name for (concentrated) sulphuric acid

 

[MarkV]

I know nothing about the subject but I do seem to remember some advice on gardners question time that you shouldn't eat Rhubarb after mid summer as the acid buildup becomes dangerous.

 

[BrendanS]

Dear oh dear.
Oxalic acid is present in Rhubarb leaves, but not in a concentration to clean boats. It's not present in the stems, which is why they are edible.

I was going to say any biology A level student could tell the forumites such things, but then realised they probably don't teach such things anymore

Not aimed at you Mark, just a comment on posts so far in this thread

 

[VicS]

Re: OXALIC Acid (no flipping \'y\')

It's all in the link I posted earlier Brendan. ( less in the stalks though not none)

http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/

/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[MarkV]

On offence taken just thought I would pass on the advise remembered. Its strange what sticks in the mind and how things are associated.

Gardening /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif - Rhubarb - Oxalic Acid - Sailing /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[geoffatstanpit]

Re: Oxalic Acid

Source of my information is Bayley's Chemists' Pocket Book, 1948 edition (when I used to be a chemistry student! ). Page 171 - solubility of (COOH)2.2H2O (oops this doesn't do subscripts!) 9.5g/l at 15 c. I don't suppose it's changed much since then.

Geoff

 

[geoffatstanpit]

Wow! That's a damn good guess or you've got inside information!

A dessertspoonful of Fairy liquid in 50ml water with a teaspoonful of salt gives more than a passing resemblance to Y10!!!

Geoff

 

[VicS]

Re: Oxalic Acid

Should be 9.5g/100ml I reckon otherwise a lot a of other references are wrong. It is usual to quote solubility as g/100ml. It is difficult to find accurate solubility data though. I guess there's not a lot of credit attached to acquiring such info. But while following up some Google leads I came across detailed instructions for determining it for oxalic acid. It's a pity I'm not now in a position to give it a try.
Life's difficult without a lab.

 

[BrendanS]

Re: Oxalic Acid

[ QUOTE ]
Life's difficult without a lab.

[/ QUOTE ]

and not nearly as much fun! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[geoffatstanpit]

Re: Oxalic Acid

You're dead right! Solubilities are g/100ml. I've been using 10x wrong gen for 50 years!

Geoff