Bowls Acid, Porcelain

Quick Answer: Porcelain acid bowls are glazed laboratory bowls made of hard porcelain, used to hold, mix, soak items in, or gently warm and evaporate acids and other corrosive liquids that would attack metal or plastic containers; each porcelain acid bowl is generally deeper than an evaporating dish.

Porcelain for Corrosive Liquids

Glazed laboratory porcelain is one of the most acid-resistant everyday materials on the bench. It stands up to hydrochloric, sulfuric and nitric acids, even when hot, and to most salt solutions and organic liquids, and it tolerates far higher temperatures than plastic. That makes a porcelain bowl a sensible vessel for acid cleaning baths, for soaking small parts, and for warming or evaporating acidic solutions on a water bath or sand bath.

Porcelain does have limits. Hydrofluoric acid dissolves the glaze and body, and hot concentrated alkalis and hot concentrated phosphoric acid attack it slowly. It is also sensitive to thermal shock: a cold bowl set straight onto a hot plate, or a hot bowl splashed with cold liquid, may crack, so heat it gradually.

Because an acid bowl holds more for its footprint than a shallow dish, it suits soaking and mixing, where a dish would be too shallow. Capacity, diameter and whether the bowls have a pouring lip are not stated in the listing. For shallow evaporation, the flat form evaporating basin spreads the liquid more thinly.

Specifications

Handling Acids Safely

• Add acid to water, never water to acid, when diluting in the bowl.
• Warm and cool the bowl gradually to avoid cracking.
• Rinse thoroughly after acid work, since residual acid can attack items stacked with the bowl.
• Replace bowls with crazed or chipped glaze, which can trap contaminants.

Applications

• Acid baths for cleaning small glass or porcelain items.
• Mixing and diluting acid solutions, always adding acid to water.
• Pickling small metal samples in dilute acid before examination.
• Warming or partly evaporating acidic solutions on a water bath.

Why Choose LabEquip

Chemistry departments, metallurgy and electroplating labs, and pharmacy colleges use porcelain acid bowls where plastic or metal would be attacked. LabEquip lists them in General Lab Products; tell us the size and quantity needed through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which acids can be used in a porcelain bowl?

Glazed porcelain resists hydrochloric, sulfuric and nitric acids, including hot, as well as most salt solutions. It should not be used with hydrofluoric acid, and hot concentrated alkalis attack it over time.

Can a porcelain acid bowl be heated?

Yes, gently and gradually, on a water bath, sand bath or hot plate, or over a gauze. Rapid heating or cooling can crack porcelain, so avoid putting a cold bowl onto a very hot surface.

How is an acid bowl different from an evaporating dish?

An evaporating dish is shallow to expose a wide liquid surface for fast evaporation. An acid bowl is generally deeper, holding more liquid for soaking, mixing or cleaning baths.

Why use porcelain instead of plastic for acids?

Porcelain tolerates much higher temperatures and resists hot oxidising acids such as nitric acid, which can attack many plastics. It is also not softened by organic solvents.

How should the bowl be cleaned after acid use?

Pour the acid into a suitable waste container, rinse the bowl several times with water, wash it with detergent and rinse again. Dry it before storage.

What does crazing of the glaze mean?

Crazing is a network of fine cracks in the glaze. It lets liquids seep into the body, where contaminants can collect, so crazed bowls should be withdrawn from analytical work.

Last Updated: September 2026