The rapid development of science allows scientists to make new sensational discoveries in the field of physics, chemistry and other areas. Systematically, the scientific world is shocked by the news about the creation of new substances with unique, never seen before properties. Of course, ordinary people do not always follow such discoveries. Not everyone knows that the strongest acid in the world was created in America in 2005. For many, the strongest chemical of this kind remains sulfuric acid, well studied in school.
Carborane acid is the strongest in the world
In 2005, scientists working at the University of California in the United States managed to create a new acid of unprecedented power. The invented compound is a million times stronger than concentrated sulfuric acid. Scientists at that moment set out to find a new molecule that would be a real discovery in the scientific world, and they managed to achieve a positive result.
The formula of carborane acid is not complicated: H(CHB11Cl11). But still, it will not work to synthesize such a substance in a conventional laboratory. Carborane acid is more than a trillion times more acidic than ordinary water.
The unique property of the strongest acid
If somewhere the strongest acid in the world is mentioned, the human fantasy draws a substance that dissolves everything in its path. In fact, destructive properties are not at all the main sign of the strength of a chemical. For example, many believed that hydrofluoric acid was the most powerful acid because it dissolves glass. But this is far from the truth. Hydrofluoric acid corrodes glass containers, but can be stored in polyethylene containers.
Recognized as the strongest in the world, carborane acid can be easily stored in glass vessels. The fact is that this chemical is characterized by significant chemical stability. Like other similar compounds, carborane acid, reacting with reagents, donates charged hydrogen atoms. After such a reaction, the composition has a slight negative charge and does not have a destructive effect on the surrounding materials.
Further work with carborane acid
Of course, the creators of carborane acid have become well known in the world scientific community. Moreover, brilliant scientists were awarded many well-deserved awards for their significant contribution to the development of science. The use of a new substance is no longer limited to scientific laboratories: Carborane acid is used in industry as a powerful catalyst.
The unique feature of the world's strongest acid is its ability to interact with inert gases. Today, many studies are being carried out, the purpose of which is the possibility of a reaction between xenon and carborane acid. Also, scientists are working tirelessly to study other properties of the most powerful acid.
The best known strong acid
About carboranoic acid is well known to scientists. Ordinary people most often believe that sulfuric acid is the strongest. This is due to the frequent use of the substance in industry. Often it is used by manufacturers of mineral fertilizers to produce superphosphates and ammonium sulfates.
Sulfuric acid is widely used in the metallurgical industry. It is also used to clean metals from oxidation. The production of liquid fuels is not complete without the use of sulfuric acid. It is used to clean the following products:
- lubricating oils;
- kerosene;
- paraffin;
- mineral fats.
But not only industrial use leads many people to believe that sulfuric acid is the most powerful in the world. A similar opinion has developed due to the fact that the substance, falling on the flesh, chars it. This property of sulfuric acid is often used in the filming of crime films.
The strongest organic acid
If we talk about the strongest acid in organic chemistry, then the leadership here belongs to formic acid. The substance was so named because of its discovery in the secretions of ants. Formic acid has a wide range of uses. It is often used in medicine as it has analgesic and irritant properties. Formic acid is present in many ointments that are used to treat bruises, varicose veins, and edema. Medicines with this substance can get rid of acne.
Formic acid is also widely used in the chemical industry. It is also used in agriculture and beekeeping. The substance is also used in food as additive E236.
Despite its prevalence, formic acid can pose a serious threat. Contact with a concentrated substance on the skin causes burns or severe pain. Even inhalation of formic acid vapors can cause damage to the respiratory tract. But the positive property of the substance is that it is quickly excreted from the body without accumulating in it.
Man has always sought to find materials that leave no chance for their competitors. Since ancient times, scientists have been looking for the hardest materials in the world, the lightest and heaviest. The thirst for discovery led to the discovery of an ideal gas and an ideal black body. We present you the most amazing substances in the world.
1. The blackest substance
The blackest substance in the world is called Vantablack and consists of a collection of carbon nanotubes (see carbon and its allotropic modifications). Simply put, the material consists of countless "hairs", hitting which, the light bounces from one tube to another. In this way, about 99.965% of the light flux is absorbed and only a negligible part is reflected back to the outside.
The discovery of Vantablack opens up broad prospects for the use of this material in astronomy, electronics and optics.
2. The most combustible substance
Chlorine trifluoride is the most flammable substance ever known to mankind. It is the strongest oxidizing agent and reacts with almost all chemical elements. Chlorine trifluoride can burn through concrete and easily ignites glass! The use of chlorine trifluoride is almost impossible due to its phenomenal flammability and the inability to ensure the safety of use.
3. The most poisonous substance
The most powerful poison is botulinum toxin. We know it under the name Botox, that is how it is called in cosmetology, where it has found its main application. Botulinum toxin is a chemical produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. In addition to the fact that botulinum toxin is the most toxic substance, it also has the largest molecular weight among proteins. The phenomenal toxicity of the substance is evidenced by the fact that only 0.00002 mg min / l of botulinum toxin is enough to make the affected area deadly for humans for half a day.
4. The hottest substance
This is the so-called quark-gluon plasma. The substance was created using the collision of gold atoms at almost the speed of light. Quark-gluon plasma has a temperature of 4 trillion degrees Celsius. For comparison, this figure is 250,000 times higher than the temperature of the Sun! Unfortunately, the lifetime of a substance is limited to one trillionth of a trillionth of a second.
5. The most corrosive acid
Antimony fluoride H becomes the champion in this nomination. Antimony fluoride is 2×10 16 (two hundred quintillion) times more caustic than sulfuric acid. This is a very active substance that can explode when a small amount of water is added. The fumes of this acid are deadly poisonous.
6. The most explosive substance
The most explosive substance is heptanitrocuban. It is very expensive and is used only for scientific research. But a slightly less explosive HMX is successfully used in military affairs and in geology when drilling wells.
7. The most radioactive substance
Polonium-210 is an isotope of polonium that does not exist in nature, but is made by man. It is used to create miniature, but at the same time, very powerful energy sources. It has a very short half-life and is therefore capable of causing severe radiation sickness.
8. The heaviest substance
It is, of course, fullerite. Its hardness is almost 2 times higher than that of natural diamonds. You can read more about fullerite in our article The Hardest Materials in the World.
9. Strongest magnet
The world's strongest magnet is made up of iron and nitrogen. At present, details about this substance are not available to the general public, but it is already known that the new super-magnet is 18% more powerful than the strongest magnets currently in use - neodymium. Neodymium magnets are made from neodymium, iron and boron.
10. The most fluid substance
Superfluid Helium II has almost no viscosity at temperatures close to absolute zero. This property is due to its unique ability to seep and pour out of a vessel made of any solid material. Helium II has the potential to be used as an ideal thermal conductor in which heat does not dissipate.
There are many acids that, even in the smallest amount, are dangerous to humans. Many people believe that sulfuric acid is the most dangerous, but this is absolutely not the case. Carboranoic acid is considered the strongest, which can only be stored in special vessels. It is many times stronger than sulfuric acid and allows you to quickly dissolve metals, glass and other substances that are resistant to other chemicals. But if carborane acid is very rare, and then in laboratory conditions, then another potent substance can be encountered in Everyday life. According to many experts, the most poisonous acid is hydrocyanic acid, and it can be found not only in the laboratory, but also in food.
How can you get poisoned
Hydrocyanic acid is very toxic. When it enters the human body, signs of poisoning appear fairly quickly. This substance can enter the body with products that contain it, as well as with those products that have been treated with cyanides.
Most of this poisonous substance is found in almonds. The total amount can be up to 3%. It is enough for a person to eat a small handful of almonds to get poisoned. In addition, such a dangerous substance is found in the seeds of berries and some fruits. Most acids contain:
- peach - up to 2.8%;
- apricot - up to 1.6%;
- plum - up to 0.95%;
- cherry - about 0.8%;
- apple - approximately 0.6%.
In almond seeds and nucleoli of fruits, hydrocyanic acid is not present in its pure form, but in the form of amygdalin glycoside. It is this substance that gives a specific flavor and aroma to nuts. Once in the human body, amygdalin breaks down into three components, one of which is hydrocyanic acid. Bitter almonds are especially rich in this substance, so adults can eat such a product in small quantities, and children should not eat it at all.
Wines made from berries and fruits with stones are of great danger. Wine infused with pitted cherries, plums and apricots can lead to poisoning.
Compotes and jams made from berries along with seeds do not pose a health hazard. When heated already to 80 degrees, hydrocyanic acid decomposes into safe components.
How much acid will cause poisoning
The amount of food you need to eat to get poisoned can fluctuate significantly. It depends on the age of the person, his body weight, general health and the presence of chronic pathologies. But there are averages that should be followed.
The strongest intoxication can be if you eat 30 almonds, more than 50 apricot kernels, more than 70 plum or cherry. You can get poisoned if you eat more than 100 apple seeds.
Under the influence of the most poisonous acid, fatal poisoning can occur. The critical dose of amygdalin is 1 mg per kilogram of human body weight. It is enough to eat 40 grains of bitter almonds or 100 apricot kernels to get fatal poisoning.
Gourmets who are very fond of almond nuts in their unchanged form need to buy a delicacy only in specialized stores. The packaging should contain all information about the manufacturer and the composition of the product. Even sweet almonds can lead to poisoning if eaten without measure.
Bitter almonds are now used only in the manufacture of certain medicines and cosmetic products. Such nuts are practically not eaten.
Symptoms of poisoning
Hydrocyanic acid, once in the bloodstream, binds to red blood cells, while blocking the detachment of oxygen and its further transfer to tissues. Due to this, the amount of oxygen in the blood greatly increases, but it does not enter the organs at all, which leads to hypoxia. The brain is the first to suffer. All functions of this organ are greatly inhibited, and the work of all systems and other important organs in the body is disrupted.
When poisoning with this acid, the following characteristic signs appear:
- skin and all mucous membranes become bright pink;
- severe headache, as well as dizziness, lips go numb and pupils dilate;
- there is a violation of balance, a person cannot normally stand on his feet, coordination of movements is disturbed;
- the pulse quickens, as does breathing;
- the victim feels chest pain and shortness of breath;
- nausea and vomiting occurs;
- in the mouth there is a taste of metal and bitterness;
- may have uncontrolled bowel movements.
A characteristic aroma of bitter almonds emanates from the victim, by which it can be determined that the person has been poisoned. If the condition is very severe, then rapid breathing is quickly replaced by a slow pulse. There is paralysis of the respiratory center, and convulsions begin.
If, in case of poisoning with hydrocyanic acid, help is not provided to the victim within 3 minutes, then death will occur.
Urgent care
In case of poisoning with a strong acid - hydrocyanic, you must immediately call an ambulance. Prior to the arrival of doctors, the victim is provided with first aid, which consists of the following measures:
Hydrocyanic acid's antidote is a weak solution of methylene blue. This remedy is usually given by emergency doctors.
After providing first aid, the victim should be removed from all tight clothing and put to bed, raising his head with pillows. If a person has a confused mind, then he is recommended to smell a cotton swab moistened with ammonia. Ammonia, once in the blood, neutralizes the acid.
If a person has no breathing and no pulse, chest compressions and artificial respiration should be performed as soon as possible. Such activities must be carried out in the first few minutes after the cessation of vital processes.
In the conditions of a hospital hospital, the patient is administered anticonvulsants, antidotes and drugs to restore normal blood circulation. In the process of recovery, the patient is shown a complex of vitamins.
After poisoning with hydrocyanic acid, a person should avoid physical and mental stress for some time. At this time, the patient is recommended to drink plenty of fluids, including milk. And you should also walk a lot in the fresh air, adhere to a balanced diet and give up all bad habits.
Many are trying to find out for themselves the answer to the question of what it is - the strongest acid. It is not very difficult to understand this, but it is necessary to read special literature. For those who just want to know the answer to this question, this article is written.
Many people believe that hydrofluoric acid is the strongest acid, because it is able to dissolve glass. This argument is practically unfounded. In the understanding of others, the strongest acid is sulfuric. The last statement has a completely logical explanation. The fact is that sulfuric acid is very strong among those used in industry. Upon contact with living tissue, it is able to char the flesh, leave severe burns that heal for a long time and are problematic. Its production does not require special material costs. And it is safe to say that it is not the strongest. Science knows the so-called superacids. They will be discussed further. And at the household level, the most common of the strong acids is still sulfuric. That is why she is dangerous.
Many modern chemists believe that the strongest acid in the world is carborane. This is confirmed by the results of careful research. This acid is more powerful than concentrated sulfuric acid by more than a million times. Its phenomenal property is the ability to be stored in a test tube, which many other substances from the mentioned series do not possess. Chemical composition, which was considered the most caustic, could not be stored in glass containers. The fact is that carborane acid has a significant chemical stability. Like other substances like it, when reacting with other reagents, it donates hydrogen atoms with charges to them. However, the composition remaining after the reaction, although it has a negative charge, is very stable and cannot act further. Carborane acid has a simple formula: H(CHB 11 Cl 11). But getting the finished substance in a conventional laboratory is not easy. It is worth noting that it is more than a trillion times more acidic than ordinary water. According to the inventor, this substance appeared as a result of the development of new chemicals.
Hydrofluoric, hydrofluoric and other strong acids contain a list of the most caustic substances. Industrial reagents are not included. However, it is still necessary to be wary of such common acids as sulfuric, hydrochloric, nitric and others. I would not want to scare anyone, but, as a rule, substances from this list are used to carry out encroachments on health and deliberate disfigurement of appearance.
An interesting fact is that among the fatty acids found in food, formic is the strongest. It is often used for preserving vegetables and for medicinal purposes, but only in the form of a solution.
It must be said again that the strongest acid is carborane. But today it is necessary to be more afraid of substances that are used in industry and everyday life. Chemistry is a rather useful and complex science, but the widespread production of simple compounds does not require special knowledge, and therefore it is easy to obtain enough acid. This creates an increased danger in case of careless handling or implementation of bad intentions.
More than one generation of chemists argued about which acid is the strongest. At different times, this title received nitric, sulfuric, hydrochloric acid. Some believed that the compound could not be stronger than hydrofluoric acid. Recently, new compounds with strong acidic properties have been obtained. Perhaps it is among them that there is the strongest acid in the world? This article reviews the characteristics of the strongest persistent acids of our time and gives their brief chemical characteristics.
The concept of acid
Chemistry is an exact quantitative science. And the title "The Strongest Acid" should be reasonably attributed to one or another substance. What can be the main indicator that characterizes the strength of any connection?
First, let's recall the classic definition of an acid. Basically, this word is used for complex chemical compounds that consist of hydrogen and an acid residue. The number of hydrogen atoms in the compound depends on the valency of the acid residue. For example, in a molecule of hydrochloric acid there is only one hydrogen atom; and sulfuric acid already owns two H + atoms.
Acid properties
All acids have some chemical properties, which can be called common for this class of chemical compounds.
In all the above properties, another “skill” of any known acid is manifested - this is the ability to donate a hydrogen atom, replacing it with an atom of another chemical substance or a molecule of any compound. It is this ability that characterizes the "strength" of the acid and the degree of its interaction with other chemical elements.
Water and acid
The presence of water significantly reduces the ability of an acid to donate hydrogen atoms. This is due to the fact that hydrogen is able to form its own chemical bonds between acid and water molecules, thus its ability to separate from the base is less than that of undiluted acids.
Superacid
The word "superacid" was introduced into the chemical dictionary in 1927, with the light hand of the famous chemist James Conant.
The standard for the strength of this chemical compound is concentrated sulfuric acid. A chemical or any mixture that exceeds the acidity of concentrated sulfuric acid is called a superacid. The value of a superacid is determined by its ability to impart a positive electrical charge to any base. The corresponding indicator H 2 SO 4 was taken as the basic parameter for determining acidity. Among the strong acids there are substances with rather unusual names and properties.
Known strong acids
The most famous acids from the course of inorganic chemistry are hydroiodic (HI), hydrobromic (HBr), hydrochloric (HCl), sulfuric (H 2 SO 4) and nitric (HNO 3) acids. All of them have a high acidity index and are able to react with most metals and bases. In this series, the strongest acid is a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acid, called "royal vodka". The formula of the strongest acid in this series is HNO 3 + 3 HCl. This compound is capable of dissolving even precious metals such as gold and platinum.
Oddly enough, hydrofluoric acid, which is a hydrogen compound with the strongest halogen - fluorine, did not get into the contenders for the title of "The Strongest Acid in Chemistry". The only feature of this substance is the ability to dissolve glass. Therefore, such acid is stored in polyethylene containers.
Strong organic acids
Contenders for the title "The Strongest Acid in Organic Chemistry" are formic and acetic acids. Formic acid is the strongest in the homologous series of saturated acids. It got its name due to the fact that some of it is contained in the secretions of ants.
Acetic acid is slightly weaker than formic acid, but its distribution spectrum is much wider. It is often found in plant juices and is formed during the oxidation of various organics.
Recent developments in the field of chemistry have made it possible to synthesize a new substance that can compete with traditional organic matter. Trifluoromethanesulfonic acid has an acidity index higher than that of sulfuric acid. At the same time, CF3SO3H is a stable hygroscopic liquid with established physicochemical properties under normal conditions. To date, the title "The Strongest Organic Acid" can be assigned to this compound.
Many may think that the degree of acidity cannot be much higher than that of sulfuric acid. But recently, scientists have synthesized a number of substances whose acidity parameters are several thousand times higher than those of sulfuric acid. Abnormally high values of acidity have compounds obtained by the interaction of protic acids with Lewis acids. In the scientific world they are called: complex protic acids.
Magic acid
Yes. Everything is correct. Magic acid. That's what it's called. Magic acid is a mixture of hydrogen fluoride or fluorosulfonic acid with antimony pentafloride. Chemical formula this connection is shown in the figure:
This strange name was given to magic acid at a chemists' Christmas party that took place in the early 1960s. One of the members of the research group of J. Olaha showed a funny trick by dissolving a wax candle in this amazing liquid. This is one of the strongest acids of the new generation, but a substance that will surpass it in strength and acidity has already been synthesized.
The strongest acid in the world
Carborane acid - carborane acid, which is by far the most powerful compound in the world. The formula of the strongest acid looks like this: H (CHB11Cl11).
This monster was created in 2005 at the University of California in close cooperation with the Novosibirsk Institute of Catalysis of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The very idea of synthesis arose in the minds of scientists along with the dream of new, hitherto unseen molecules and atoms. The new acid is a million times stronger than sulfuric acid, but it is completely non-corrosive, and the strongest acid can easily be stored in a glass bottle. True, over time, the glass still dissolves, and with increasing temperature, the rate of such a reaction increases significantly.
This amazing softness is due to the high stability of the new compound. Like all acidic chemicals, carborane acid readily reacts by donating its single proton. In this case, the base of the acid is so stable that the chemical reaction does not proceed further.
Chemical properties of carborane acid
The new acid is an excellent H+ proton donor. This is what determines the strength of this substance. Carborane acid solution contains more hydrogen ions than any other acid in the world. AT chemical reaction SbF 5 - antimony pentafluoride, binds fluorine ion. This releases more and more hydrogen atoms. Therefore, carborane acid is the strongest in the world - a suspension of protons in its solution is 2 × 10 19 times greater than that of sulfuric acid.
However, the acid base of this compound is remarkably stable. The molecule of this substance consists of eleven bromine atoms and the same number of chlorine atoms. In space, these particles form a complex, geometrically regular figure, which is called an icosahedron. This arrangement of atoms is the most stable, and this explains the stability of carborane acid.
The meaning of carborane acid
The strongest acid in the world brought its creators well-deserved awards and recognition in the scientific world. Although all the properties of the new substance have not been fully understood, it is already becoming clear that the significance of this discovery goes beyond laboratories and research institutes. Carborane acid can be used as a powerful catalyst in various industrial reactions. In addition, the new acid can interact with the most stubborn chemicals - inert gases. Currently, work is underway to allow the possibility of xenon reacting.
Undoubtedly, the amazing properties of new acids will find their application in the most diverse fields of science and technology.