Southbound

I trust your data... Glad I joined! I definitely work with muractic acid, because I am a mason by trade and we have to use it to an our bricks, I know muractic acid and hydrochloric acid are close to the same but muractic may have some impurities. I just was wandering , if muractic acid would be good enough for my experiment? I was reading up and it definitely works better at a ph of 4. So if I am mixing small amounts, so we will go with 300ml/1 1/4cup of distilled water (I assume distilled water is ph 7??) and how many ml's of muractic acid to add to 300ml of water to get a ph of 4. So after I get the liquid solution to the ph of 4, could I then transfer 0.5 0z of the fluid to my plastic mixing bottle then add the 0.30g of calcined alumina to agitate/sonicate? Can I incorporate maybe 5-10% glycerin? If so do I do this after I lower the ph of the water or before? So this will also aid in keeping the particles from agglomeration after I spray on my substrate? Or only in the bottle, prior to spraying? Thanks, Mike

Thanks for helping, but you must be patient with me I am no chemist. So straight muriatic or hydrochloric acid will dissolve calcined alumina, so what you are saying a aqueous solution which is diluted will no harm the particles, but put a charge or barrier and keeping them de-agglomerated? So what about muriatic acid? If so how much per cup of distilled water? I am only using 1/8 tsp of calcined alumina per 0.34 oz, so does that sound like too much? Above I mentioned using a very small amount glycerin in the solution to help keep the abrasive from drying on my substrate, I so would a substance like glycerin work with a strong acid? The sonicator does really make a milky solution, but I really don't need them to stay agglomerated for long periods of time, (because I only mix this when I need to reload my strops/substrates) but my question I don't guess this acid doesn't have any effect on helping the particles stay deagglomerated after they are sprayed on the substrate - They only keep the agglomeration at bay while the particles are in my bottle before I spray? Or will this charge you are taking about make a big difference on how they are dispersed on my substrate?

Hi, Not sure what a aqueous solution exactly is, but does it involve distilled water and an acid? Can I make my own aqueous solution? Sorry but I am not very familiar with chemistry, but I am interested.. Roughly do you think I got my pH to about 3-3.5 using 1/8 tsp of citric acid in a cup of distilled water? So hydrochloric acid will dissolve the Calcined alumina?

I have a sample of very fine abrasive powder from a company, and I am trying to figure out how to suspend it and disperse it onto my substrate. I have a probe sonicator, for agitating, but I can't find out what the appropriate liquids would be . I have tried ethanol, but when it dries it agglomerates again. I am not wanting it totally wet in a slurry, but I want it to stay 'somewhat' tacky/intact were I spray it. Based on my reading this type of Calcined alumina works in a acid environment, of about 3.5 - 4. I tried an ethanol 80% to 20% glycerin and it seemed to be the most effective, but how do I go about lowering the ph of my solution, ethanol is somewhat alkaline? I only mix a 0.5 oz at a time to spray disperse on my substrate. I also thought about silicone lubricant/oil? Not sure what the ph is in these types.. Edit: I am just experimenting. I just poured a cup of distilled water and got it almost boiling then I added 10% glycerin I added/dissolved 1/8 tsp of citric acid. I don't have anything to measure ph yet,but based on what I have read that should be about ph of 3.5. I then poured 0.5 oz of liquid in a container, added 0.30/1/8 tsp.abrasive powder, then probe/sonicated the mixture them I added to my 0.5 oz spray bottle then I sprayed in my substrate.