Chemical Forums
Specialty Chemistry Forums => Citizen Chemist => Topic started by: eizuaf on December 09, 2009, 01:15:43 AM
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Somebody vandalized my car using an unknown chemical substance. The reaction took less than 30 minutes from the point I parked the car to the 1st eye witness.
The liquid:
1. A drop of the liquid was left on the car. It appears transparent.
2. Me and one of my friend touched the liquid, it burns.
3. Some of it is droped to the concrete. It left a solid white marking.
4. The pattern of the liquid suggest that it is rather viscous.
The effect:
1. The car paint swelled and cracked, it appears that gas was formed under the paint and pushed the paint out. The damaged paint can be peeled easily by hand.
2. The metal body is not affected
3. The rubber parts of the car is not affected
4. Plastic door handle and composite fibre part of the body is not affected
What do you think the substance is?
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O that sounds horrible. Have it tested out in at a lab. This can be anything.
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My first thoughts are sulfuric acid drain cleaner or commercial paint stripper.
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Did your hand become yellowish after touching the liquid?
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My first thoughts are sulfuric acid drain cleaner or commercial paint stripper.
Was thinking your first guess as well, assuming it's very conc.
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I've tried concentrated sulfuric acid. It does not leave any marking on concrete. It does dissolve the paint, but does not produce the swelling.
I didn't notice any yellowing effect on my hand. A highly concentrated nitric acid also dissolve the paint without the bulging effect. It does leave white markings on the concrete.
I'm not sure about paint stripper.
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Conc. nitric acid should have done considerable damage to the car's metal. Besides, it's not very easy to get a hold of at all.
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When you touched it did it feel cold to the touch and evaporate soon after? (if yes it is likely a paint stripper solvent and not an acid)
Did you smell it?
Leaning towards HCl currently....
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He said it burns, so if it also feels cool to the touch, I'd go with DCM, although I don't really have a clue what it'd do to cement.
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Couple of things come to mind. Hydrochloric Acid or battery acid. Maybe a paint stripper in a can. Hard to say really.
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HCl is very easy to obtain. Just at home depot... I doubt it would be a paint thinner if it burned his skin and had such a volatile reaction. Cars are aluminum I believe, which HCl reacts with.
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skyjumper -
Cars are aluminum I believe
This might need some research
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If it bubbled up like you said, it may be diethylene glycol.
BTW, go to a body shop and ask them. They would know alot better about the composition of car paint.
http://www.samsautobodyshop.com/