Re: remove markings from pyrex glassware

From: Dirk Bruere at Neopax (dirk_at_neopax.com)
Date: 10/11/04 

Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2004 18:36:13 +0100

Mohammed Farooq wrote:
> Dirk Bruere at Neopax wrote
>
>
>>>Ucle Al wrote
>>>The fused white glass marking frit will slowly dissolve in hot
>>>concentrated ethanolic KOH while the Pyrex will mostly hang in
>>>there.
>>>This is incredibly hazardous to tissue. It will instantly blind you
>>>if it gets in your eye. Don't play with HF at all.
>
>
>
>
>>Why is ethanolic KOH so corrosive?
>
>
> First concentrated alkalis are highly corrosive by nature, secondly
> the ethoxide ion so formed by the reaction of ethanol and KOH produces
> ethoxide ion, which is a more powerful base than the hydroxide
> ion...though its strength is levelled in aqueous solution.

Thanks
I've learned something new:-) 

-- 
Dirk
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