[SteveE]

Is anyone aware of a substitute for hydrofluoric acid that can be used to etch or dissolve glass? I know HF acid is really dangerous and corrosive but I read something awhile back where they were working on a promising substitute. Does anyone have any ideas what they might be using?

Thanks

Steve

[Matt Lacey]

Don't know of any 'promising' substitutes, but Group 1 metal hydroxides like KOH are used to etch glass sometimes, still pretty corrosive but at least it doesn't dissolve your bones

[UnintentionalChaos]

There are a class of chemicals called "biflourides" which are one molar portion of a soluble fluoride and hydrofluoric acid combined. They are solids, don't release HF vapors unless heated, and can be made into solutions/ pastes and painted onto the glass in question. They are still very nasty compounds, but not nearly as dangerous as HF and are the active ingredient in "Armour Etch" glass etching cream, nothing more than sodium and ammonium bifluorides, water, and titanium dioxide powder to make a paste.