What makes an acid “super”
Acidity is not simply a measure of how fast a liquid eats through a surface. A superacid is exceptionally good at donating protons—the positively charged hydrogen ions that can attach to other molecules. Some are made by combining an acid with a second substance that strengthens its proton-donating power. In fluoroantimonic acid, for example, antimony pentafluoride helps bind fluoride from hydrogen fluoride, making the mixture extraordinarily acidic.
That extra chemical power can attack substances that ordinary acids leave alone. But it does not make the liquid universally destructive: a proton can only do damage if the material offers a reaction the acid can drive.
The container is part of the chemistry
Glass is a poor choice for certain superacids because some formulations, including those containing hydrogen fluoride, react with silica—the main ingredient in glass. Metals can also corrode, depending on the metal and the acid. A polymer such as PTFE, by contrast, has a tightly bonded structure that resists many chemical attacks, which is why compatible fluoropolymer containers are used for some highly corrosive chemicals.
Resistance is specific, not absolute. A material that holds one acid may swell, weaken, or react when exposed to another, or under different conditions. The practical question is therefore not whether an acid is “strong enough” to destroy everything, but whether its chemistry matches the material in front of it. For superacids, choosing the container is itself a piece of chemical engineering.
