Title: Hydrochloric acid (HCL)
Introduction
When HCl molecules dissolve they dissociate into H+ ions and Cl- ions. HCl is a strong acid because it dissociates almost completely.Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid, is an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride. It is a colorless solution with a distinctive pungent smell. It is classified as a strong acid. It is a component of the gastric acid in the digestive systems of most animal species, including humans.
It is also known as muriatic acid. Hydrochloric acid, although not manufactured in such large quantities sulphuric acid is an important heavy chemical
Manufacture of hcl:
It is manufactured by two processes - production of hydrogen chloride and absorption of hydrogen. The process differs from each other in the way hydrogen chloride is obtained. It can be produced by one of the following methods: (1) The sulphate method https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8327770590524196773/6830875102581161731?hl=en-GB
(2) Synthesis. https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8327770590524196773/1616211539775122942?hl=en-GB
Properties
1)It is a colourless pungent gas with acidic test. Aqueous solutions are known as hydrochloric acid and if the solution is in commercial grade, it is called 'munatic acid:
2)Commercial grades are different with different specific gravities (1.147, 1160, 1179) containing 27.9% HCI,
31.5% HCl and 35.2% HCI respectively are available.
3)It can be easily liquefied to a colourless liquid (B.P. 83°C) and frozen into a white crystalline solid (M.P.-113°C).
4)It reacts with metals, their oxides, hydroxides, etc. It is stable and can be oxidised by strong oxidizing agents like manganese dioxide, etc.
5)It forms (aquaregia (HCl): HNO3 = 3:1) for dissolving metals like gold, platinum
Uses and Economics
The largest uses of HCI find their way in the petroleum, chemical, food and metal industries (40%, 23%, 13%,
12%) and the rest 12% are utilized in other industries, e.g. medicines, purification of boneblack. It increases
production of oil wells by increasing permeability of oil-bearing formation. It is also finding use in steel packing
in preference to sulphuric acid.
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