Uses. Perchloric acid is used to separate potassium from sodium, and in many laboratory tests and industrial processes. Uses for the salts of perchloric acid include explosives and plating metals. Perchloric acid may explode, and it decomposes on heating producing toxic and corrosive fumes.
Perchloric acid is mainly produced as a precursor to ammonium perchlorate, which is used in rocket fuel. The growth in rocketry has led to increased production of perchloric acid.
Several million kilograms are produced annually.[5] Perchloric acid is one of the most proven materials for etching of liquid crystal displays and critical electronics applications as well as ore extraction and has unique properties in analytical chemistry.