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any chemists in the house?

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 4:11 am
by Dr_Watson
wtf chemical could do this to a car?

[lvlshot]http://phair.csh.rit.edu/~drwatson/temp/whatthecrap.jpg[/lvlshot]


:confused:

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 4:14 am
by Dave
urine

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 4:16 am
by Dr_Watson
seriously?

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 4:16 am
by Canidae
Looks deliberate

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 4:17 am
by Massive Quasars
you want an obvious answer? perhaps so obvious you've already considered it and discounted it?

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 4:17 am
by Dave
Dr_Watson wrote:seriously?
no, it just sounded funny. I assume the light spots are primer or metal.

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 4:19 am
by Dr_Watson
both... some of the paint is gone down to bare metal... the rest is primer.

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 4:29 am
by netrex
Hmm I can't make out what's on that picture..

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 4:33 am
by Canidae
It was a thrown liquid that is why there are so many splatters. Two buckets that perhaps could be acid from pool cleaning???

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 4:34 am
by Canidae
which is what they clean pools with...hydrochloric acid

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 4:49 am
by Guest
Paint thinner?

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 4:51 am
by SOAPboy
Bleach can.. draino can.. spray on paint stripper..

theres a ton of things..

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:02 am
by tnf
Muriatic acid == HCl (for those that don't know this)


As for the paint on the car - did it happen right away - or was there chipping and oxidation before it peeled off?

But it could have been another strong acid...although, HCl is relatively easy to get (you can get muriatic acid at a swimming pool store..)

and now I see I should have read all the thread more closely...

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:05 am
by Dr_Watson
riddla wrote:Its most likely muriatic acid, I've seen the stuff do exactly this. It leeches all the way to the metal pretty fast. Its most common use is cleaning paint, etc from brick and can be picked up at any hardware store relatively cheap.
after reading this: http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infxtra/infmur.shtm
Typical home uses include heavy-duty masonry cleaning, preparation of masonry for painting or sealing, removal of efflorescence or mineral deposits and pH reduction in swimming pools. Its reactive power makes it the chemical of choice for some types of masonry cleaning.

i think you may be right.
so it was probably pool cleaner.

oh, the story behind the photo is that a dude i know was at the movies downtown tonite and some shitbag did that to his car.
no idea who... or why... least the what may be solved.

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:07 am
by Dr_Watson
tnf wrote:Muriatic acid == HCl (for those that don't know this)


As for the paint on the car - did it happen right away - or was there chipping and oxidation before it peeled off?
all the damage was done during the course of a movie.

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:08 am
by tnf
Any strong odor he can recall? I'm not a physical/materials chemist, so I can't give you much detail on the reaction that took place here...My brother in law has his master's in chemical engineering...he will be here on Saturday, so I will show him the pic and see what he thinks.

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:10 am
by Dr_Watson
dunno... he just went to bed alittle while ago...
which is honestly what i should do soon.

but i think you guys are onto something with the pool cleaner...
its strange that it didn't fuckup the molding strip... which is that black line through the damage.
oh, and this is the side of a focus zts if anyone was curious.

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:10 am
by tnf
Dr_Watson wrote:
tnf wrote:Muriatic acid == HCl (for those that don't know this)


As for the paint on the car - did it happen right away - or was there chipping and oxidation before it peeled off?
all the damage was done during the course of a movie.
What is strange is that to splash something like muriatic acid all over a car is not smart unless you are taking some precautions...

But these folks could have found a bottle of it, or taken one from a pool, and just found a random car to toss it on.

I'm wondering if a very strong base might have done the same thing...

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:13 am
by tnf
And I don't know - but chemicals like methyl ethyl ketone, toluene, acetone, etc. are all pretty common solvents and might have done the same...?

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:17 am
by Canidae
So does peeing in the pool

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:23 am
by tnf
riddla wrote:Its not used to clean pools, its used to adjust the pH ;)
Adjust == lower it for those of you who don't know.

:p

I was a lifeguard and managed a pool for a long, long time. Hey, that reminds me of some good shit stories....

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:27 am
by Dave
you guys are weird

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:27 am
by tnf
Dave wrote:you guys are weird
I'm working on my animated icon.

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:28 am
by Dave
You and Jules... weird.

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:29 am
by tnf
Nah, its just the mental decomposition that takes place in the week following 9 straight months of working with high school students.