Types of local sources that sell concentrated sulphuric acid?

Can someone tell me what types of businesses are likely to sell small quantities

of concentrated sulphuric acid to an individual? I'd like to find a local source

to avoid shipping, but I don't even know which type of (retail) business to

call. I want to use it for various types of film and alternative processes. I am

aware of the cautions, and that for some processes there are substitutes.

 

Thanks,

Keith Ostertag

Car Batteries use Sulphuric Acid, and so do mining opperations.

I get mine at Auto Zone.

I have two suggestions:

 

1) Look in the Yellow Pages under "Chemicals - Retail"

2) Talk to the Chemistry teacher at the local High School; find out where the school purchases its chemical supplies.

 

You do not say why you want it, but battery acid may not be pure enough for your needs.

My local AutoZone doesn't carry it but the local Kragen's does. Simply call places that sell auto parts and ask for "Battery Acid."

Battery acid is sulphuric acid, but it is diluted. You may have some difficulty obtaining concentrated sulphuric acid as it is used in the synthesis of high explosives. However, if you try a laboratory chemical supplier you may be able to get hold of some.

Thanks for your responses. I called the only three places listed in the Yellow Pages locally under Chemicals:Retail. All three said that since 911 they no longer sell to the public. I may try a high school, but I have no personal connections to any and I haven't found them useful in the past- again, liability and red-tape issues. I will try the battery acid approach- haven't looked into that; purity may or may not be a problem, but the concentration may not be given. One of the things I want to use it for is reversal processing of film- I don't need it, I just wanted to try it to see if it gave different results from my other formula. There were one or two alternative processes that I thought I might try that call for concentrated sulfuric acid. I realize I can get diluted solutions online from various places.

 

Thanks again! Keith Ostertag

You can use sodium bisulfate, the acid salt of sulfuric acid. (This is not to be confused with sodium bisulfITE, a different material altogether.) It is a white powder and dissolves in water to give very strongly acidic solutions. It is available as "pH Minus" pool additive, if you're looking for a cheap source. I use it to acidify reversal bleaches (both permanganate and dichromate).

<p>I use a drain cleaner from Lowe's called Shop Theochem that has a 93% purity for tanning hides. This works for me but as I don't know what you are using this for I can't guarantee it will help.</p>