Do aldehydes such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde have acidity?
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As the title says. Do aldehydes such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, or similar carbonyl compounds, have acidity? Is it corrosive to carbon steel equipment and pipelines?
Aldehydes such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde do not possess acidity, but in normal production processes, they are easily oxidized to their corresponding carboxylic acids, which can corrode equipment. So this issue still requires consideration of your specific process, depending on the technical conditions of the equipment itself.
What are the conditions for aldehydes to be oxidized to carboxylic acids? Is there any way to suppress this reaction?
Aldehydes have strong reducibility, which makes them susceptible to oxidation to carboxylic acids. They can usually react with common weak oxidizing agents under heating conditions without the need for a catalyst. Therefore, it is first necessary to analyze the conditions of your own material – whether there are any oxidizing agents present in its components, as well as the temperature. Moreover, carboxylic acids can also decompose, so the analysis must be based on the specific conditions of your materials and processing process
Aldehydes are formed by the oxidation of corresponding alcohols; during this oxidation process, a small amount of acid is inevitably produced. As a result, aldehyde solutions are generally acidic, and storage tanks usually require internal anti-corrosion treatment.