Patreon Preview - Lab notes on successful glassware protection
Added 2018-08-12 23:17:45 +0000 UTCLet me know what you think.
We're very close to being done, it's just a matter of finding a way to make the initial charge of sodium. And this is entirely optional if you're willing to sacrifice a flask or go with the thermochemical dioxane method.
Comments
However a cheap solvent such as ethanol has a melting point of -114.1° C. Ethanol is non-corrosive as a bonus for your pump system (I don't know if an aspirator would be effective in pulling enough vacuum for this to work--it's amazing what an aspirator is capable of sometimes). The ethanol could be boiled in a cold trap under a vacuum possibly drawing enough energy out to the point of ethanol freezing. This would meet the requirements to freeze dry sodium hydroxide I would imagine.
Matthew Wilson
2018-08-15 15:24:09 +0000 UTCThe dry ice method probably wouldn't work since it would only bring the temp down to -78° C. The sodium hydroxide is a basic salt. In general, salts require temps between -84° or-105° C for freeze drying to work. If you have access or can make a cascade style freezer, then that will work too. I know it's possible to make one relatively cheap if you are good with brazing.
Matthew Wilson
2018-08-15 15:14:09 +0000 UTCWould it be possible to freeze dry the sodium hydroxide with liquid nitrogen or even a cheaper route using dry-ice cooled acetone? If you have access to a cheap vacuum chamber or homemade one added a $199 12CFM 2 stage vacuum pump from eBay the whole system would cost less than $500 US dollars. I've been wanting to get a vacuum pump & chamber for ever.
Matthew Wilson
2018-08-15 14:50:39 +0000 UTC
