An Analysis of the Dissolution of Hydrofluoric Acid and Plastics
The world is called hydrofluoric acid, and its properties are unique. I have heard that everyone is skeptical: Can hydrofluoric acid dissolve plastics?


Plastics are of various types, with different structures and different properties. Common plastics, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, etc., all have certain chemical stability. Its molecular structure is strong, the interchain force is quite strong, and it is difficult for ordinary chemical reagents to break it.

And hydrofluoric acid, although it is a weak acid, its corrosiveness should not be underestimated. Fluoride ions have extremely strong coordination ability and can form stable complexes with a variety of metal ions. When they encounter silicon-containing substances such as glass, they can chemically react and cause them to dissolve.

However, in plastics, hydrofluoric acid is difficult to show its "corrosion magic". Due to the chemical structure of plastics, there are no groups that hydrofluoric acid can easily act on. In plastic molecules, carbon-carbon bonds, carbon-hydrogen bonds, etc. are quite stable, and fluorine ions of hydrofluoric acid are difficult to react with, so most plastics can resist the erosion of hydrofluoric acid.

However, there is no absolute in the world, or there are special plastics. There are active groups in the structure, which may react with hydrofluoric acid, but the number is small and not universal.

In summary, hydrofluoric acid is generally difficult to dissolve plastics. People should study the chemical properties carefully, and do not take assumptions as reality.