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Composition of Pickling Solutions

I am studying the different pickling methods. Actually, it will be really helpful for me to know the exact composition of pickling liquids... Is it a solution of nitric and hydrofluoric acids only or is there something else in it ?

Marc Gatel
Ecole des Mines de Nantes - Nantes, Bretagne, France
2003

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"Pickling" is a very generic term, Mr. Gatel, and many different acids can be used for pickling, depending on what you are trying to pickle. Hydrochloric acid is a pickling liquid; so is sulfuric acid. Hydrofluoric acid is usually included when there is silicon to be removed. Nitric acid is often included when a powerful oxidizing medium would be helpful to the reaction. The pickling liquid might also include wetting agents, or inhibitors designed to limit the attack of the acid on the substrate, or various other minor ingredients.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003

There are pickling solutions made with virtually any acid known to man and combinations of them.You have to narrow your subject to what type of metal, its condition and what level of attack you desire and then you have a choice of a dozen or so.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2003