Filtering used etchant?

[Aharon]

Would there be any advantage in filtering ferric chloride when it has become somewhat saturated and takes too long to work?.
Like a funnel and cotton filter,nothing hi tech....
Thanks
Aharon

[Mark Hammer]

Not sure if it is possible to filter through organic materials without losing more of the "good stuff", since it can bind to things (it LOVES clothes).  Maybe a nylon mesh filter.  Better yet, pour it through a funnel into a tall skinny glass bottle, and once it has separated into cast-off sediment and lighter "good stuff", pour the good stuff into your active etching tank/container.

[Aharon]

I see what you are saying Mark,I'll let it settle and use that and see what happens.
Thanks
Aharon

[toneman]

U can't "filter" ferric chloride to remove the copper.
chemistry doesn't  work that way.
U can put more chloride ions into solution, buy adding
HCL to the used solution and bubbling for 3 or 4 hours.
HCL? whatz that???
Muratic Acid (pool acid) is dilute HydroChloric Acid (HCL).
The HCL adds more choloride to solution.
The Hydrogen(h2) is given off as gas.
Now the extra chlorice can attach to more copper atoms.
More copper can B etched off.
Take note, that the solution gets thicker with this process,
so if U are using a small pump, it will B more difficult to
pump and the pump may get hot thru overworking.
I've been using this "process" for over 25yrs with a
5gal bucket and a small aquarium air pump.
Not the most "elegant" , but it works   :p
afn
tone

[Aharon]

U can't "filter" ferric chloride to remove the copper.
chemistry doesn't work that way.
Toneman

I thought I'd take a crack at mechanical filtering but if we are talking binding at the molcular level then I'm shitz out of luck aren't I.?

Thanks for the explanation.
Aharon