How to make hypochlorous acid at home
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Recently, the restrictions related to epidemic prevention have been lifted, and there are many people infected with the virus. It has been found that hypochlorous acid is an effective disinfectant – its effectiveness is dozens of times greater than that of sodium hypochlorite. How can one prepare hypochlorous acid at home? Chlor-alkali laboratories have everything needed as raw materials; what’s lacking is an effective and feasible method for preparation. Could any expert provide a method for preparing it? Thank you
You can neutralize sodium hypochlorite with sulfuric acid to a pH of below 6 by yourself. However, hypochlorous acid is highly unstable and easily decomposes to release chlorine gas and oxygen.
In a chlor-alkali laboratory, anything will do. One method involves using sodium hydroxide solution to absorb chlorine gas; care should be taken to avoid high temperatures, and the color of the solution should change from colorless to yellow-green – at that point it’s sufficient. The reaction is Cl2 + 2NaOH = NaCl + NaClO + H2O. Another method is to directly electrolyze saltwater to produce chlorine gas; hydrogen gas isn’t necessary, as the chlorine gas can be absorbed directly with NaOH. It’s sufficient to maintain an alkaline environment; a weakly alkaline or neutral condition can lead to decomposition and render it ineffective.