Talk:Piranha solution

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isn't "Peroxymonosulfuric acid" the same thing?

I don't think so, primarily for this reason (thanks to rw): piranha solution ages and becomes less effective over time, presumably due to the formation of peroxymonosulfuric acid. I'll try to add a bit about that later (but anyone else? feel free!) --Terry Bollinger 03:39, 27 July 2006 (UTC)

"One must always add the peroxide to the acid, not the other way around."
Shouldn't that be the other way around? i.e. First rule of chemistry class is NEVER mix anything into an acid.

I agree with the poster above. I often use piranha solution to clean glassware and I always pour the sulfuric acid onto the hydrogen peroxide solution. The idea being that because sulfuric acid has a sizeable enthalpy of mixing, i.e. it heats up when diluted. So when you add something, your small amount of water heats up and will boil and splash and if you do it the other way round you have more water to absorb the heat so you will diminish splashing. Another useful thing to know is to use a big enough beaker, at least twice the volume of the piranha solution you want to make. 134.58.253.113 15:56, 15 February 2007 (UTC)