Yup, ammonia is a base. For the more extreme cases, a solution of caustic (AKA sodium hydroxide) literally removes the seatpost. The base dissolves aluminum forming sodium aluminum hydroxide and hydrogen gas. Takes some time with thick-walled seatposts, but it works. I tried it once after using up two hacksaw blades and still not having gone through the post. Don't try this at home, kids, and read the MSDS.
Is sodium hydroxide any worse than potassium hydroxide? I have had skin contact with potassium hydroxide many times and as long as it was washed off right away, it was not big deal.
They are both about the same, but don't let your experience with KOH fool you, these are not exactly benign compounds. They are not "poisonous" per se, but strong solutions will happily disolve your flesh. Brief skin contact is no big deal, but get some in your eye or swallow some and you are likely to have problems. (There are lots of folks running around who can't eat anymore and have to collect their spit in a cup because they tried to kill themselves drinking drain cleaner.) Just use common sense and follow standard safety precautions like wearing goggles and always adding the crystals to the water and not the other way around.
Actually, I used to work in the R&D department of Rayovac as a lab technician, and there were times when I was too lazy to put rubber gloves on if I was just briefly doing something involving KOH (which we made up in 50 gallon batches at 45% concentration), or gelled anode (which has a pH of about 12.5).
>Yup, ammonia is a base. For the more extreme cases, a solution of >caustic (AKA sodium hydroxide) literally removes the seatpost. The >base dissolves aluminum forming sodium aluminum hydroxide and >hydrogen gas. Takes some time with thick-walled seatposts, but it >works. I tried it once after using up two hacksaw blades and still >not having gone through the post. >Don't try this at home, kids, and read the MSDS.
Is sodium hydroxide any worse than potassium hydroxide? I have had skin contact with potassium hydroxide many times and as long as it was washed off right away, it was not big deal.
They are both about the same, but don't let your experience with KOH fool you, these are not exactly benign compounds. They are not "poisonous" per se, but strong solutions will happily disolve your flesh. Brief skin contact is no big deal, but get some in your eye or swallow some and you are likely to have problems. (There are lots of folks running around who can't eat anymore and have to collect their spit in a cup because they tried to kill themselves drinking drain cleaner.) Just use common sense and follow standard safety precautions like wearing goggles and always adding the crystals to the water and not the other way around.
Actually, I used to work in the R&D department of Rayovac as a lab technician, and there were times when I was too lazy to put rubber gloves on if I was just briefly doing something involving KOH (which we made up in 50 gallon batches at 45% concentration), or gelled anode (which has a pH of about 12.5).
Sounds reasonable, but I wouldn't want to get any in my eyes.
Actually, I used to work in the R&D department of Rayovac as a lab technician, and there were times when I was too lazy to put rubber gloves on if I was just briefly doing something involving KOH (which we made up in 50 gallon batches at 45% concentration), or gelled anode (which has a pH of about 12.5).
heh. I never thought about that before. I guess that is why they are called "alkaline" batteries.
