Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Suggestion please on which fluid to use?

jgourlay - 23-9-2010 at 09:54

All: I need a recommendation for a fluid as follows:

1. cheap
2. Commonly available
3. Largely non-toxic
4. Higher density than carbon. (graphite)

Anythoughts?

12AX7 - 23-9-2010 at 10:44

Saltwater solution. Pick salts based on density and toxicity (e.g., Ca is denser than Mg, but Sr is denser still, but toxic, but not as toxic as Ba, etc.). Colloids (think "drill mud").

Tim

blogfast25 - 23-9-2010 at 13:06

Quote: Originally posted by jgourlay  
All: I need a recommendation for a fluid as follows:

1. cheap
2. Commonly available
3. Largely non-toxic
4. Higher density than carbon. (graphite)

Anythoughts?


What's the purpose of the fluid?

Eclectic - 23-9-2010 at 18:36

Silicotungstic acid or lithium silicotungtate can get to up to SG of 3 in water solution.

jgourlay - 24-9-2010 at 10:01

blogfast: I'm doing a demo where I'm decomposing malachite then mixing the copper II oxide with carbon (powdered kingsford). Then I bake at high temperature to smelt out the copper. The demo can sometimes be a letdown because of the time it takes to "pan the gold" out of the leftover carbon.

I was hoping to just dump the stuff in a bucket and have all the copper fall to the bottom while all the carbon floated on top.

blogfast25 - 24-9-2010 at 12:20

Quote: Originally posted by jgourlay  
blogfast: I'm doing a demo where I'm decomposing malachite then mixing the copper II oxide with carbon (powdered kingsford). Then I bake at high temperature to smelt out the copper. The demo can sometimes be a letdown because of the time it takes to "pan the gold" out of the leftover carbon.

I was hoping to just dump the stuff in a bucket and have all the copper fall to the bottom while all the carbon floated on top.


Back to the Bronze Age, eh? Very interesting indeed. I reduced CuO with carbon successfully but didn't get the copper to settle out either, only partly. I'm afraid there are no shortcuts though: you need to get well past 2,000 F for that...

Dumping in a fluid will only solidify your mix...

What ratio oxide/carbon are you using?