HELP!!

I have alluminum oxide stuck in my new iron crucible and I have no idea how to get it out. Can somebody tell mehow to get rid of the aluminum oxide without destroying the iron crucible? maybe some kind of acid?

Try heating some concentrated NaOH or KOH solution up in the crucible, and keep the alumina submerged. This won't attack the iron, but will dissolve the alumina as sodium (or potassium) aluminate. You might try molten NaOH if hot concentrated aqueous solution won't get rid of it.

 

You may get a thin skin of rust where the hydroxide is, but it buffs out very easily.

Edited January 4, 200916 yr by UC

Thanks man, will try as soon as I get some more sodium hydroxide!