Sealing Solutions for the Chemical Process Industry

Hydrochloric acid (HCI) is one of the most important basic chemicals in the chemical industry as an inorganic acid. It is used, for example, in processing ores and rock phosphate. In metal processing, it is used in pickling, etching and soldering processes, as it dissolves most metals, except noble metals. As a food additive, hydrochloric acid is designated as E 507. Arguably the most commonly known form of the salts in hydrochloric acids, referred to as chlorides, is sodium chloride = table salt.

Nitric acid (HNO3) is one of the three most important acids used in the chemical industry. As a strong inorganic acid it belongs to the group of mineral acids and is mainly used to produce nitrogen fertilizers. About 15% is used to produce organic compounds which in turn are used to produce fibers and plastics. Other applications include the production of explosives, use as etchants or for polishing metals.

Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is one of the most commonly used laboratory and industrial chemicals. Concentrated sodium hydroxide (also known as lye or caustic soda) causes severe chemical burns of the skin and may damage the cornea of the eye so severely that blindness may result. Sodium hydroxide for instance is used in households to pickle old paint and varnishes or as a chemical drain cleaner. Sodium hydroxide is used in detergent and soap production, as well as in the pulp and paper industry. In the food industry, this caustic soda is used to flush the bottles in bottling lines. In the chemical industry, many acids are neutralized using sodium hydroxide.

Sulfuric acid (H2SO4), with an output of approx. 150 million tons per year, is the most frequently produced chemical in the world. It is regarded as one of the strongest acids, a colorless, viscous, highly caustic liquid. The uses for sulfuric acid are highly diverse, with more than half of the production serving to produce phosphate fertilizers. Other applications include ore digestion, semiconductor etching, the production of titanium oxide and fertilizers via nitric acids and sulfates. As a food additive, sulfuric acid is designated as E 513. In this case, it is used as a technical processing aid to produce modified starch and casein, as well as for drinking water purification.