HClO4 is a chlorine oxyacid with the chemical name perchloric acid. It is also known as hydroxy chlorine trioxide. The acid content ranges from 50-72% and is a clear, colorless, odorless aqueous solution. It is corrosive to metals and tissues. Closed containers may rupture violently when exposed to prolonged heat.
Production of perchloric acid
Perchloric acid can be produced on an industrial level using two methods. Traditional methods take full advantage of the high water solubility of sodium perchlorate (NaClO4). Consider that this solution forms perchloric acid with hydrochloric acid (HCl) by precipitating solid sodium chloride. The reaction can be as follows:
NaClO4+HCl→NaCl+HClO4
The second method is more direct and away from salts, requiring the addition of an anodic chlorine solution to the platinum electrode.
It can also be prepared in a chemical laboratory by treating barium perchlorate (Ba(ClO4)2) with sulfuric acid (H2SOv), which precipitates barium sulfate (BaSO4) and then leaves perchloric acid. Alternatively, it can be prepared by mixing nitric acid (HNO3) with ammonium perchlorate (NH4ClO4) and adding hydrochloric acid as it boils.
Uses of perchloric acid
The main application of perchloric acid is as a precursor for ammonium perchlorate, an inorganic compound that is an important component of rocket fuel.
Therefore, perchloric acid is considered to be a more critical compound in the aerospace industry. The same compounds can also be used in the etching of liquid crystal display (LCD) systems. Therefore, perchloric acid has also begun to be widely used in the electronics industry. Due to its unique properties, this compound can also be used in analytical chemistry. Perchloric acid also has many important applications in extracting materials from ores. In addition, this special compound is also used for chrome etching. Because it acts as a super acid, perchloric acid is considered one of the strong acids.
as acid
Perchloric acid is a superacid with a pKa below -9, as evidenced by the fact that its monohydrate has discrete hydronium ions and is isolated as a crystalline and stable solid in the form [H3O+ ][ClO–4]. A recent estimate for its aqueous pKa is -15.2±2.0. Since perchlorate is weakly nucleophilic (which describes the high acidity of HClO4), it also provides strong acidity with little interference.
Other non-coordinating anionic acids, such as hexafluorophosphoric acid and fluoroboric acid, are susceptible to hydrolysis, whereas perchloric acid is not. In addition to the hazards associated with the explosiveness of salts, acids are often preferred in specific syntheses. It is also a useful eluent in ion exchange chromatography for the same reason. It can also be used to etch or electropolish molybdenum, aluminum, and several other metals.
health hazard
Inhaling the vapors of this particular compound can cause a burning sensation in the nose and throat and irritate the lungs, including coughing. Prolonged exposure to this compound can cause vomiting. Ingestion of this can cause blistering and heartburn. When this compound is heated, it releases irritating, corrosive and toxic gases.
Perchloric acid is considered an extremely powerful oxidant. Due to the strong oxidizing properties of this compound, it exhibits very high reactivity towards most metals. In addition, the compound is also highly reactive towards organics. This compound is corrosive to human skin. Therefore, adequate safety precautions should be taken when handling this compound.
Why is perchloric acid considered a strong acid?
HClO4 is perchloric acid. Among them, H+ is connected with one oxygen atom to form a single bond with chlorine, and the other three oxygen atoms are bonded with chlorine by coordination bonds. A compound is called an acid if it donates a proton in an aqueous solution, while it is called a strong acid if its conjugate base is stable. So, in this case, the stability of the perchlorate ion is due to the conjugation of negative charges created on the oxygen atoms, overall to the other 3 oxygen atoms.
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