Bulk 70% Hydrofluoric Acid Supplier for Sohar Metal Cleaning
November 13, 2026
Plants in Sohar that pickle stainless steel, etch aluminium or descale boilers usually buy 70% hydrofluoric acid as a concentrated stock and dilute it on site. We supply industrial hydrofluoric acid in 70% technical grade from our Barka warehouse, with delivery to Sohar and Al Batinah. This page covers what the acid is, how plants in Sohar use it, how to dilute it safely, how it is transported under UN1790, and the safety stock your site needs before the first drum arrives.
What 70% hydrofluoric acid is and how it differs from 49% HF
Hydrofluoric acid is hydrogen fluoride dissolved in water. The 70% grade is typically about 70% HF and 30% water. It has CAS number 7664-39-3, formula HF and a molecular weight of 20.01. Typical 70% material is a colourless liquid with a stinging odour. Its density is about 1.23 g/cm3 at 20 °C, its boiling point is about 65 °C and its freezing point is about -76 °C. It mixes completely with water and is not flammable.
The most common strength in trade is 49% (48 to 52%), which has a density of about 1.15 g/mL. Technical grade 70% HF is made for jobs that need a strong HF concentration but do not need tight impurity limits, and it can be diluted down to the 48 to 49% range. For a bulk buyer, the 70% grade means less water in each delivery and more working solution from each drum. It also falls into Packing Group I for transport, while 50% grades are Packing Group II, so handling and paperwork are stricter.
Where Sohar plants use HF acid for metal cleaning
ASTM A380 describes nitric and hydrofluoric acid solution as the pickling solution most widely used by fabricators of stainless steel equipment. Typical shop baths are quoted at about 15 to 20% nitric and 1 to 8% HF. This bath removes weld heat tint, scale and embedded iron from stainless pipework, tanks and skids. Fabrication yards around Sohar port and maintenance teams at refinery and petrochemical shutdowns in the Sohar industrial zone do this kind of work.
Other uses for 70% aqueous HF include titanium pickling, glass etching, quartz purification and chemical milling. In aluminium work, HF is used to desmut high-silicon alloys and die castings. A typical mild aluminium etch is about 4.5 to 5% HF. Dilute HF is also used to clean industrial boilers and in pre-commissioning cleaning of high-pressure steam boilers.
A ready-made pickling paste often suits a shop that only cleans welds by hand. These pastes typically contain about 20% nitric acid and 5% hydrofluoric acid by weight. They are left on for 15 to 60 minutes and then washed off with water. Bulk 70% acid suits plants that run their own pickling or etching tanks, boiler cleaning contractors, and shutdown crews that make up baths in volume.
Diluting 70% HF to working strength safely
Always add acid to water, never water to acid. Dilution releases considerable heat, and a small amount of water added to the strong acid can react violently and spatter hot acid. A practical routine for your tank crew:
- Put the measured water into the mixing tank first. Use polyethylene or fluoropolymer-lined vessels. HF attacks glass, concrete and silicates, giving off silicon tetrafluoride gas, and it can burst glass containers.
- Run local exhaust ventilation. Wear goggles or a face shield, a full chemical suit and protective gloves, and work near an eyewash and safety shower.
- Pour or pump the 70% acid slowly into the water while stirring. Let the bath cool before you top it up.
- Keep alkalis, carbonates, sulfides and cyanides away from the mixing area. Alkalis react violently with heat. The others give off toxic gases. HF also gives off flammable hydrogen when it attacks metals.
Typical properties and our product records
We list 70% hydrofluoric acid under several part numbers, including Hydrofluoric Acid 70% (RXSOL-68-1322-025) and Hydrofluoric acid 70 (RXSOL-68-1322-038). Plan your bath calculations on the assay confirmed for your lot, because 70% is the nominal strength.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Part numbers | RXSOL-68-1322-025, RXSOL-68-1322-035, RXSOL-68-1322-038 |
| CAS number | 7664-39-3 |
| Molecular weight | 20.01 (1.23 g / cm3) |
| Composition | H 5.04 % F 94.96% |
| Grade | CP, Technical, 70 % |
| Application | Stainless steel and titanium pickling, aluminium etching and desmutting, glass etching, boiler cleaning |
| Typical working strengths | Nitric and HF pickling baths about 1 to 8% HF; mild aluminium etch about 4.5 to 5% HF (typical for this product class) |
| Transport | UN1790, Class 8, subsidiary risk 6.1, Packing Group I |
| Packing | Confirmed with your quote |
Fluosilicic acid 20% as a milder fluoride option
Some metal surface treatment jobs can run on a lower fluoride strength. Our Fluosilicic Acid 20 (RXSOL-68-1322-020) is H2SiF6 with a molecular weight of 144.08. It is a clear colourless solution used for surface treatment of metals, electrolytic refining of lead, making metallic fluosilicates, water fluoridation and wood preservation. In aluminium processing and steel pickling, fluosilicic acid removes oxides and scale.
It still needs the same care in handling. Fluosilicic acid solutions contain free HF, so they also etch glass. Our product record states: "Fluosilicic Acid will cause severe irritation of burns to eyes and skin. It is toxic if inhaled or ingested." Choose 70% HF when you mix your own strong pickling or etching baths. Choose fluosilicic acid when your process sheet calls for it. The same product is also listed on Muscat Chemical.
Bulk packing, UN1790 transport and storage at your site
70% hydrofluoric acid is transported as UN1790, Class 8 with subsidiary risk 6.1, Packing Group I. Because it travels as dangerous goods, your receiving team should know the class and have the acid bay ready before the vehicle arrives. In general trade, bulk industrial 70% HF is offered in drums and 1,000 kg units. We confirm our container type and size when we quote.
Keep the containers tightly closed in a cool, well-ventilated, locked area that only authorised people can enter. Leave the acid in its original container and store it away from incompatible substances. The boiling point is about 65 °C, so keep drums shaded during a Sohar summer.
HF safety: PPE, calcium gluconate and first aid
Under GHS, 70% HF carries the signal word Danger: fatal if swallowed, in contact with skin or if inhaled. HF burns may not hurt or show at first. Fluoride can cause hypocalcaemia, which may be fatal. How soon symptoms appear depends on strength: above 50% they are immediate, at 20 to 50% they appear after 1 to 8 hours, and below 20% they can take up to 24 hours. Even very small amounts of diluted HF can cause irreparable eye damage.
First aid: flood the skin with water, then massage in 2.5% calcium gluconate gel until the pain eases, and get medical attention. Flush eyes for at least 15 minutes. Every HF exposure needs specialised medical treatment. Before your first delivery, check that your site has:
- Calcium gluconate gel in stock. It has a shelf life of about two years, so record the expiry date.
- An eyewash and safety shower close to the work.
- First aiders with HF-specific training.
- SCBA available for emergencies.
- Lime or soda ash on hand for neutralisation.
Handling spills, rinse water and waste
Neutralise spills with lime, soda ash, caustic or baking soda. A water fog can knock down vapour, but do not spray water at the leak point, and do not absorb the acid with sawdust. Pickling rinse water is acidic and may carry heavy metal residues. Neutralise it, for example with slaked lime, before discharge. Agree the discharge route for fluoride-bearing water with the wastewater operator of your industrial zone.
Where to buy 70% hydrofluoric acid in Sohar
Sohar Chemical (RXSOL group, Oman) delivers from our Barka warehouse to Sohar and Al Batinah. Call +968 99489269 or message us on WhatsApp. You can also send a quote request through our contact page or email muscatchem@gmail.com. Please include the grade, the quantity and the delivery site. The fluosilicic acid record is also on Oman Chem.
Request a quote for bulk 70% hydrofluoric acid on WhatsApp at +968 99489269.
Frequently asked questions
What is 70% hydrofluoric acid used for in industry?
Industrial uses include stainless steel and titanium pickling, glass etching, quartz purification and chemical milling. In metal plants it is diluted to make nitric and HF pickling baths, aluminium etching and desmutting solutions, and boiler cleaning solutions.
What is the difference between 70% technical grade HF and 49% HF?
49% (48 to 52%) is the most common trade strength. Technical grade 70% is stronger, is made for jobs that do not need tight impurity limits, and can be diluted down to the 48 to 49% range. For transport, 70% is Packing Group I, while 50% grades are Packing Group II.
What concentration of HF is used for pickling stainless steel?
Typical nitric and hydrofluoric shop baths are quoted at about 15 to 20% nitric and 1 to 8% HF. Pickling pastes for weld cleaning typically contain about 20% nitric acid and 5% hydrofluoric acid by weight, are left on for 15 to 60 minutes and are then washed off with water.
Why is hydrofluoric acid not stored in glass?
HF attacks glass, concrete and silicates, giving off silicon tetrafluoride gas, and it can burst glass containers. It is stored in fluorinated plastic or polyethylene containers, tightly closed, in a cool, ventilated, locked area.
What first aid is needed for a hydrofluoric acid burn?
Flood the skin with water, then massage in 2.5% calcium gluconate gel until the pain eases, and get medical attention. Flush eyes for at least 15 minutes. Every HF exposure needs specialised medical treatment, because burns may not hurt at first and fluoride can cause hypocalcaemia that may be fatal.
