Hey guys. I realise this might be a little bit outside of the usual conversation in here and if it doesn't fit feel free to close it down. I was wondering if it would be possible to keep a large quantity of dilute ( 1 L of 80% acid to 10 L H2O) H3PO4 in a stainless steel tank?. or would that dissolve/corrode the inside of the tank?. it would be possible to have the thing enamelled but i would rather not due to the cost
thanks in advance for any suggestions or answers

my feeling is that it would corrode the tank, also implied by this

the easiest way to find out is to put some weighed steel in some of the acid, leave it for a few days and weigh it again. maybe the corrosion is slow and a passive layer forms.

use glass to be safe.

This would almost certainly corrode the metal - use glass / plastic...

the only thing that makes me think it might be ok is the fact that stainless cannot be parkerized i will probably get the tank enamelled though just to be safe

Of course, you could actually test it...

Fill a glass bottle with the acid, chuck it some stainless steel cutlery, and observe over the course of a few weeks....

Dude don't put acids in metal containers. Get some amber glass bottles off everyones favorite auction site or something.

Also, go look at this http://www.potashcorp.com/media/pdf/...ce/msds/72.pdf

There ya go, your answer. Glass FTW.

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I recommend stopping about there. Steel will be corroded by phosphoric, I'm pretty sure, I know iron is no way as reactive as aluminium, but there's a reason why coke cans (v. dilute phosphoric in there) are plastic lacquer coated on the inside.

thank you very much SN that was really useful

i wonder where i can find a glass 55 gallon drum

I know that you can find these around 15 L one made of glass inside and metal outside on ship yards. They use them to dump execss solvents in them after done painting boats

Look at marine shops or on shipyards

Does it have to be one container???

Usually you're best looking at what material is used by the supplier and go likewise. Plastic drums are available with ease in many sizes, Yellow Pages, you'll find a ton of suppliers. Or an auction site, I guarantee will carry them, or a beer brewing supplier will carry tons of various sizes of glass and plastics.

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