Published: June 21, 2022
Q: We are currently in the process of looking to change our magnesium metal coupon cleaning process. Currently, we use chromic acid but would like to switch over from that and Alnochromix is the best replacement we have found. We boil our current chromic acid solution to clean the coupons but I noticed on your SDS that the Alnochromix solution degrades when heated. In a different section, it said decomposition doesn’t begin until >100C.
A: Thanks for your question about boiling a Alnochromix/Sulfuric acid solution.
Alnochromix is recommended to be used at ambient temperature. In part in order to allow repeated and extended use of the solution. At elevated temperatures, the solution will degrade quickly. At boiling it would decompose in a matter of hours as compared with decomposition in a matter of weeks at ambient temperatures. Decomposition is related to the oxidizing cleaning action of the Alnochromix/sulfuric acid. If you used a freshly made solution and used it promptly at boiling, it would be a very aggressive oxidizing solution and would probably clean very quickly.
We do not have any direct experience with anyone boiling an Alnochromix solution. We would recommend you try using the Alnochromix solution at room temperature to start with. Alnochromix solutions have been used for all sorts of sensitive analytical chemistry-related cleaning applications and I suspect it will clean well enough for your needs at room temperature.
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