There’s something wonderfully apt about formic acid’s name. It comes from the Latin word for ant, after the 17th-century naturalist John Ray ‘discovered’ the compound when investigating what caused ant bites to be so painful.
But ever since it was first isolated, formic acid has proven to be a real worker ant amongst industrial chemicals. Across agriculture, textile production, pharmaceuticals and general chemical processing, formic acid stands out as one of the most versatile and hard-working substances around, with worldwide production topping 870 kilotonnes per year and rising.
At Norkem, we’ve also noticed demand steadily increasing from clients around the world. Strong sales of pure formic acid, as well as its compounds calcium formate and sodium formate, have led us to increase stocks of all related products.
What is Formic Acid?
Formic acid is the simplest carboxylic acid, a family of organic compounds built around double-bonded carbonyl (C=O) and hydroxyl (OH) molecules. Carboxylic acids are classed as weak acids and are highly reactive, and in biology play a pivotal role in the formation of amino acids and proteins.
Formic acid is produced for defence purposes not just by ants but by a large number of other insects. It is manufactured synthetically by applying sulphuric acid to sodium formate, or via a catalysed reaction between carbon monoxide and alcohol.
What is Formic Acid Used For?
One of formic acid’s oldest and best-known uses is in the leather tanning industry, where it is used to ‘pickle’ leather to remove impurities before the tanning proper starts. It is also used as a reducing agent in textile dyeing, helping to fix dyes to fabrics so they remain stable and don’t run or fade quickly, and also as an ingredient in finishing processes.
In agriculture, formic acid is widely used as a fungicide to protect crops and is added to silage to similarly prevent unwanted fungal growth and improve fermentation, resulting in a better nutritional profile. It is also used as a preservative in animal feed.
Other uses of formic acid include acting as a coagulant in rubber production, a common cleaning agent for industrial equipment and a decalcifier. It is also used in beekeeping to control mites.
We supply formic acid in a range of different forms and compounds, from the most common 85% concentration to more application-specific formulations. Contact our sales team to discuss your needs and find out products and quantities we can help you with.