20 Examples of Corrosive Substances - encyclopedia

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Examples of corrosive substances
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The corrosive substances They are those capable of destroying or irreversibly damaging those surfaces with which they come into contact.

Corrosive substances are dangerous for living creatures, can cause irritation or burns to the tissues of the skin, eyes, respiratory tract, or gastrointestinal tract that could well lead to death. These types of incidents are known as chemical burns.

These types of materials must be used with the appropriate insulating equipment: gloves, clothing, face masks. In the places where it is deposited or contained, according to international regulations, specify with a standard corrosion icon.

Generally, corrosive substances have an extreme pH, that is, extremely acidic or basic, although they can also be highly oxidizing substances or of another nature. In contact with organic matter acids catalyze the hydrolysis of lipids or the denaturation of protein, also resulting in a caloric production whose joint effect leads to the irreparable destruction of the tissue. Bases, on the other hand, dry out organic matter in an extreme way.

Examples of corrosive substances

Hydrochloric acid. With the formula HCl, and also known as muriatic acid or etchingIt is common to extract it from sea salt, or to by-produce it during the burning of certain plastics. It is extremely corrosive and has a pH lower than 1, which is why it is used as a solvent, as an industrial solvent or as a catalyst in the production of other chemical substances.
Nitric acid. From HNO formula₃, is a viscous liquid commonly used as a reagent in the laboratory, as it is part of the elements that make up Trinitrotoluene (TNT) or various fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate. It can also be found dissolved in acid rain, a known environmental phenomenon consequence of water pollution.
Sulfuric acid. Its formula is H₂SW₄ and it is one of the most elaborate products in the world, since it is often used to obtain fertilizers, or to synthesize acids, sulfates or even in the petrochemical industry. It is also useful in industry of steels and in the manufacture of all kinds of batteries.
Formic acid. Known as methanoic acid and formula CH₂OR₂, is the simplest of the organic acids, often secreted by insects such as the red ant (Formica rufa) or bees as a toxic defense mechanism. It is also produced by nettles, or in acid rain by atmospheric pollution. In small amounts it can cause minor irritations, but despite being of natural origin it is a strong acid.
Concentrated acetic acid. Named methylcarboxyl acid or ethanoic acid and chemical formula C₂H₄OR₂, is the acid in vinegar, which gives it its characteristic sour taste and smell. It is also an organic acid, like formic acid, but it is extremely weak so its applications are varied and not risky. Even so, in very high concentrations it could be dangerous to health.
Zinc chloride. Zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) is a solid more or less white and crystalline, very soluble in water, widely used in the textile industry and as a catalyst in the laboratory. It is not particularly toxic, but in the presence of water it reacts exothermically (even that which is in the ambient air) and can be particularly corrosive, especially to cellulose and silk.
Aluminum chloride. Of formula AlCl₃, It's about a compound which has acidic and basic properties at the same time, depending on how it is diluted. Is a poor electrical conductor and it has a low melting and boiling point, which is why it is used in chemical processes as a catalyst for reactions, in wood preservation or in oil cracking. Exposure to this compound is extremely harmful to the body, being able to leave permanent sequelae in a short time of exposure and with prompt medical attention.
Boron trifluoride. Its formula is BF₃ and it is a colorless toxic gas that forms white clouds in humid air. It is frequently used in the laboratory as lewis acid and in obtaining other compounds with boron. It is a very strong metal corrosive, which can eat stainless steel in the presence of humidity.
Sodium hydroxide. Caustic soda or caustic soda, with the formula NaOH, is a very desiccant base that exists as white crystalline and odorless solids, whose dissolution in water or a acid generates large amounts of heat. It is used in more or less pure percentages in the paper, textile and detergent industry, as well as in the oil industry.
Potassium hydroxide. Known as caustic potash and with the chemical formula KOH, it is a highly desiccant inorganic compound, whose natural corrosivity is used in applications as a grease saponifier (in the production of soap). Its dissolution in water is exothermic, that is, it generates heat energy.
Sodium hydride. With the formula NaH, it is a very poorly soluble substance with a transparent color, classified as a base strong as it is capable of deprotonizing various laboratory acids. In addition to that, it is a powerful desiccant, since it stores huge amounts of hydrogen, making it highly caustic and used as a solvent.
Dimethyl sulfate. Under normal conditions, this compound of chemical formula C₂H₆OR₄S is a colorless, oily liquid with a slight onion odor, classified as a strong alkylator. It is highly toxic: carcinogenic, mutagenic, corrosive and poisonous, so its use in laboratory methylation processes is normally replaced with other safer reagents. It is also environmentally dangerous and volatile, which is why it has often been considered a probable chemical weapon.
Phenol (carbolic acid). Chemical formula C₆H₆Or and numerous alternative names, this compound in its pure form is a white or colorless crystalline solid, which can be synthesized from the oxidation of benzene. It is in high demand in the resin industry, as well as in the manufacture of nylon, but also as a component of fungicides, antiseptics and disinfectants. It is easily flammable and corrosive.
Acetyl chloride. Also called ethanoyl chloride, it is a halide derived from ethanoic acid, which at room temperature and pressure is colorless. It is a compound that does not exist in nature, since in the presence of water it decomposes into ethanoic acid and hydrochloric acid. It is widely used as a colorant, disinfectant, insecticide and even as an anesthetic, despite being corrosive by reaction.
Sodium hypochlorite. Known as bleach When dissolved in water, this compound with the chemical formula NaClO is a strong oxidant and highly reactive with chlorine, thus forming lethally toxic gases. Widely used as a bleach, water purifier and disinfectant, since in certain concentrations it has the ability to dissolve organic matter on contact.
Benzyl Chloroformate. It is an oily liquid with an unpleasant odor that can range from colorless to yellowish and has the chemical formula C₈H₇ClO₂. Dangerous for the environment and aquatic animals, it becomes phosphogen when heated and becomes highly flammable. It is carcinogenic and highly corrosive.
Elemental alkali metals. Any alkali metal in its purest or elemental form, such as lithium (Li), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs) or Francium (Fr), reacts very quickly with oxygen and water, therefore that they are never seen in nature in their elemental state. In both cases they react violently, generating a lot of heat, so they can be irritating or caustic and dangerous to health.
Phosphorous pentoxide. Known as phosphorus oxide (V) or phosphoric oxide, is a white powder of molecular formula P₂OR₅. Being extremely hygroscopic (desiccant), has highly corrosive properties and its contact of any kind with the organism should be avoided. In addition, its dissolution in water produces a strong acid that reacts in the presence of metals, generating poisonous and flammable gases.
Calcium oxide. Call quicklime and with the chemical formula CaO, it is a substance long used by mankind, which has been obtained from limestone rock. It has applications in construction and agriculture, since it is not toxic or corrosive, but when mixed with water it reacts exothermically, so it can irritate the respiratory tract, the skin or cause serious eye damage.
Concentrated ammonia. Normally ammonia, a colorless gas with a repulsive odor composed of nitrogen (NH₃), it is produced in various organic processes that eliminate it to the environment due to its toxicity. In fact, it is present in human urine. However, many of its concentrations emit corrosive gases that are highly harmful to the environment, especially in substances such as ammonia anhydride.