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by hinkley 2501 days ago
First warning with neutralizing acids: You're going to release a lot of heat, make sure you have a large thermal mass to absorb it. Someone else mentioned mixing your ingredients with water first. This is why.

From what I understand the last thing you want to experience is an explosion of hydrofluoric acid.

The internet seems to suggest lime (->fluorspar) or soda lye (->NaF, used for fluoridating water) to neutralize HF, but that's two other substances you wouldn't want raining on your head... be careful out there.

2 comments

Yeah if you just dump a base into these strong acids things go foom! and you end up with dead makers.

Don't mix this stuff in dilution in an enclosed space either as the H2 gas can create another explosion hazard.

HF is technically a weak acid, but I wouldn't venture to neutralize it quickly; it's very reactive even if it doesn't fully dissociate in water.

As for hydrogen, neutralizing acids with bases doesn't generally produce it, but ventilation is still a good idea.

Why wouldn't you want fluorspar raining on your head? Just because it's heavy and hard?

I suggested fluorspar rather than NaF because a backyard full of fluorspar is a pretty rock garden, while a backyard full of NaF is a toxic waste dump.