Feasibility Study of Producing Potassium Alum via Aluminum Foil Lujia Cheng and Shalin Presgraves CHEM 1065, Experiment No.5, October 11, 2016 Abstract. Alum is one of the oldest and the most explored substance in human history. Dozens of ways were discovered to produce it. One way of synthesizing potassium alum was covered in this report. In this synthesis, aluminum foil, an everyday material, was the reactant. This synthesis includes two main steps. First, dissolves aluminum in potassium hydroxide. Second, treat it with sulfuric acid and filter out the product. This synthesis was found out to be an efficient way to produce small amount of potassium alum under a laboratorial environment. Introduction. Alum can be specific to one compound, …show more content…
It was used in ancient China as a medicine while in Europe as a mordant for dyes. Yet, alum still has it place in modern age, like clarifying water.1 Aluminum is also known as its reactivity. Due to that, its element form was barely found in nature. However, in this synthesis method, pure aluminum was used as a reactant. This would suggest that this method was not suitable for mass production potassium alum. Even though pure aluminum cannot be found in nature, but it is widely appears in daily life, for example, the oven-used aluminum foil or gum wrapper. As a result, this method fits in our daily life to produce small amount of potassium alum instead of mass-producing. This synthesis can break down into two specific steps. Each steps was illustrated by the reactions, equation (1) and equation (2). As them indicate, the first step is to use hot potassium hydroxide to dissolve aluminum foil. The second step is to add potassium hydroxide which results potassium …show more content…
Aluminum foils (0.48 g in total) was weighted and dissolved into boiled KOH (20 ± 0.02 mL) solution. As soon as the foil touched the hot KOH, bubbles appeared on the surface of the foil and the solution turned into a black suspension. After fully reacted, vacuum filtrate, the suspension separated to black residue and transparent filtrate. Residue was discarded and the acidity (pH = 9) of solution was measured at this time. Slowly adding sulfuric acid (about 5 mL of 9M) into the solution, white precipitate appeared. When most precipitate appeared, acid (1.4 ± 0.06 mL) was added. Acidity (pH = 8) was measured again and the reaction liberated a lot of heat. After all the acid was added, the precipitate mostly dissolved. All precipitate dissolved after heating. Acidity was measured again (pH = 3.5). Ice bath (10 minutes) and evoked crystallization. After crystallized fully, vacuum filtrate (5 minutes) the crystal-liquid mixture. Residue, white powder, was rinse by cold ethanol and collected. A few milligrams of crystals were transferred to a tube for a spot test. The crystal dissolved into water with ease. However, it turned milky white when sodium bicarbonate was
The Chemy Called Al is a story of a mysterious, unrealistic world that uses puns and interesting ways to teach Chemistry but not in a way that will be boring to a student or in that case, anyone trying to learn about this science. There is a variety of concepts that we have learned this school year all the way from the Periodic Table, the states of matter, and all the way to the way that math problems and formulas are vital to discovering things within the world of science. So to say the least, The Chemy called Al mixes real
Alchemy was said to be the production of a new substance by experimenting and changing natural matters in a laboratory. These new products were regarded as artificial, as they did not occur naturally in nature (Pereira, 2000). Johann Friedrich Böttger was the first European to discover how to produce porcelain through alchemical means when commissioned to make gold for the Elector of Saxony, August the Strong. Böttger’s discovery proved how having knowledge of alchemy could prove to advantageous (Chang, 2007). Leonardo Fioravanti mentioned in his writings of having seen alchemical gold be made, but stated that the venture to create the gold was not productive enough to be of much profit (Eamon, 2000).
In this lab, the class was tasked with creating using the aluminum from soda cans in order to produce alum, which is a water purifier. In our experiment, we were tasked with multiple skills of experimentation in which the class used a vacuum filtration device to help separate the alum from the rest of the unnecessary solution. We were also able to mix acids such as sulfuric acid and observe these reactions over time.
Humans have always exploited their natural environment for all their needs including food, clothing and shelter. As the cultural development of humans continued, they looked for a greater variety of materials to cater for their needs. The 20th century saw an explosion in both the use of traditional materials and in the research and development of a wider range of materials to satisfy technological requirements. Developments added to this was a reduction in availability of the traditional resources to supply the increasing world population. Chemists and chemical engineer continue to play a pivotal role in the search for new sources of traditional materials such as those from the
Data: We found that our solution was soluble in water. Amount of solution 0 =precipitate, +=dissolved 1g + 2g + 3g + 4g
To the solution that was set aside earlier, five drops of aqueous 1.0 molar sodium sulfate was added, producing a white precipitate from the aqua colored solution. The test tube was centrifuged for about one minute to separate the solid from the solution, which was saved for later in a clean test tube. The possible cation in the solid was
An Alka-Seltzer tablet is a pain reliever and an antacid. An antacid is a substance that neutralizes stomach acid. A chemical reaction is a process that involves the structures of ions or molecules being rearranged. Sodium Bicarbonate is a salt made of sodium and bicarbonate ions, an example of a sodium bicarbonate which is used in Alka-Seltzers is baking soda. Citric acid is another ingredient of an Alka-Seltzer and is an important role in the formation of carbon dioxide, it is a weak organic tricarboxylic acid. An ion is a particle that has a positive
Test the filtration device with water, before placing the crystals in the solution. Filter the crystalinization product for 5-10 min and finally rinse the crystals with some distilled water.
A white precipitate was formed, this precipitate could have either been PbCl2 or AgCl.
Arsenic (As) is a metalloid in group 15, period 4 of the periodic table. It is associated with the atomic number 33 and maintains an atomic weight of 74.92 (Gagnon). As a solid at room temperature, it is most likely to be found as a shiny grey element; however, it may also appear as yellow or black. It is also known to be quite brittle in its solid state (PubChem). There are three different categories that arsenic compounds may be identified as: Inorganic Arsenic compounds (i.e., arsenic trioxide (As2O3), and lead arsenate (PbHAsO4) are some of the more common ones), Organic Arsenic compounds (i.e., Arsanilic Acid (C6H8AsNO3), and Methylarsonic Acid (CH5AsO3) are the more common ones), and Arsine gas (AsH3) (NCBI). All of the aforementioned states, categories, and compounds have various toxicities- the most toxic and severe symptoms tend to result for the entrance of inorganic arsenic and arsine gas into the body.
After identifying the solvent to be used, the group placed 2.00g of unknown C into a 125mL Erlenmeyer flask with 40mL of water. A 50mL flask with 25mL of water was placed on the hot plate to be added to the Erlenmeyer flask later. The group placed the Erlenmeyer flask onto a hotplate and added a wooden stick and 5mL of boiling water to the flask to help stir. The 5mL of boiling water was added by pipet to ensure the compound was dissolved completely. Gravity filtration was then performed using a stemless funnel and a heated fluted filter paper, which was heated by the second 50mL flask. The gravity filtration took place in a 125mL Erlenmeyer flask, and then was allowed to cool to room temperature and then placed in an ice bath for recrystallization. After the crystals formed, vacuum filtration was used to separate the liquids and impurities using suction created by the force of running water. Once the filtration was complete the crystals were washed three times with pure cooled solvent(water). Once washed, the group then placed the newly formed crystals on a watch glass to
In this third reaction, the aluminum hydroxide was neutralized by the sulfuric acid. The solution was submerged in an ice bath which caused the alum crystals to precipitate. The following chemical equation represents the changes that occurred when the solution was submerged in the ice
Table 1 shows the range of temperature determined for alum. The most accurate melting point for alum is between 88 and 91degrees Celsius. Part 2 – water of hydration In order to remove all the moisture from the surface of the crucible and its cover, they both were heated at a high temperature for about 10 minutes until a ring appeared.
SYNTHESIS OF ALUM CRYSTALSSYNTHESIS OF ALUM CRYSTALSSYNTHESIS OF ALUM CRYSTALS Billy Neal | Chem1211L | 11/2/2016 Introduction The purpose of this experiment is to synthesize crystals of the alum, KAl(SO4)2·12H2O , hydrated potassium aluminum sulfate, from an aluminum soda can.synthesize crystals of KAl(SO4)2·12H2O (hydrated potassium aluminum sulfate); this is commonly referred to as alum. You will begin by synthesizing alum from an aluminum soda can. Aluminum is the most abundant metal found in the earth's crust.
While all of those uses are all great, one of my favorite friends to hang out with is aluminum. When we get together, we can make really fun things like cameras, horseshoes, baseball catchers' masks,and snowshoes. Think those are fun, wait to you hear that we also are used to make airplanes, missiles, and rockets! We are famous for our alloy wheels, called mag wheels. Heard of them? Unfortunately, they no longer put me in mag wheels. Something about me not lasting well and being a fire hazard. Party