[TheForge] Making Ferric Chloride etchant

[terry l. ridder]

hello;

comment below;

On Tue, 21 Nov 2006, April & Bill Clemens wrote:

>
> Bruce,
>
> HCl plus Fe results in Ferrous Chloride (FeCl2) not Ferric Chloride
> (FeCl3)
>

i would have to go with bruce on this one. i have been derusting many
items this year. many using electrolysis with sodium carbonate and a
small amount with muratic acid. the muratic acid is definitely turning
into ferric chloride. the easy test is to take a piece of copper wire
and suspend it into a small amount of the reddish brown hcl/ferric
chloride mixture overnight and the copper wire is dissolved.

copper has no reaction in straight muratic acid.
a copper wire suspended overnight into a small amount of hcl will not
dissolve.

>
>
> I assume that when it will dissolve no more Iron
> it isn't very useful to etch iron...
>
> Although it appears you can turn Ferrous Chloride
> into Ferric Chloride by adding Chlorine:
>
> FeCl2(aq) + Cl2(g) ¢ª FeCl3(aq)
>
> Bill
>

-- 
terry l. ridder ><>