I was having a hard time figuring out what to post this week, so I thought I would try to find something dealing with acids since that is what we are studying in class right now. I was searching around for a bet and then it struck me. Right then and there I knew that I had to know what the strongest acid was in the entire world! So, I typed it into Google and 0.26 seconds later, I had my answer.
It wasn't any of the six acids we have memorized for class. It is over a million times more powerful than concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4), and it puts the previous record holder fluorosulfuric acid (HFSO3) to shame. The current record holder is ....... a carborane super-acid. Which was developed at University of California, Riverside. The acids formula is H(CHB11Cl11). Aside from its uncanny acidic strength the Carborane acid is also unique in its ability to be very nonreactive after its proton donation. Usually acids are very chemically active after the proton has dissociated. Gastric acid for example is what reacts to help break up the food in our stomachs, and battery acid is definitely something you wouldn't want to be drinking.
The practical uses of this acid are varied, but for now the scientists who created it say they are going to experiment with it some more before trying to develop anything for fiscal purposes. The article I read really showed how exciting the field of chemistry can be. The chemists behind the production of the acid are obviously deeply enjoying there work and are excited about their new discovery. "Our research is driven by making molecules that have never been made before," Christopher Reed says. "Carborane acids are allowing us to do this." Sometimes, I feel that chemistry is a field where people are just following the footsteps of others, but these scientist show that there is always room for discovery and innovation.
See http://www.bioedonline.org/news/news.cfm?art=1387
and http://chemistry.about.com/b/2007/02/09/strong-acids-and-the-worlds-strongest-acid.htm
Posted by Robert Stenger
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment