Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Light Bulb for boiling chemicals in

ThePhDChemist - 9-10-2011 at 01:16

Hello, can I use empty light bulbs for heating/boiling chemicals.
I readed in one military survival book that you can, but what if glass goes into my eyes? At least can i use it for concentrating sulfuric acid. If I can't with direct flame, then can i do it by putting lighter under inverted tin can, and on top put light bulb, so it won't be direct flame?



Light Bulb Picture.jpg - 12kB

Steve_hi - 9-10-2011 at 02:53

A light bulb is too thin it would be dangerous

Chemistry Alchemist - 9-10-2011 at 04:16

It does work, check out one of my other threats on Make shift glassware :)

hissingnoise - 9-10-2011 at 05:22

:o Er, threats? Where . . . ?


Sedit - 10-10-2011 at 01:39

The threat of concentrating H2SO4 using a fucking light bulb, Look im all for make shift stuff as most here will know but dude, use you brain. Never use make shift when danger is involved. I much like yourself enjoy the use of my fingers, eyes and other vital parts.... why risk them on something as simple as concentration of Sulfuric acid? Think man... THINK!

Chemistry Alchemist - 10-10-2011 at 02:41

https://www.sciencemadness.org/whisper/viewthread.php?tid=17...

if your gonna be boiling corrosive acids, you would want to take every precautions... eg... if i was gonna be boiling sulfuric acid, id have a portable stove with a pot on top filled with sand and bury the bulb into the sand, so if the bulb was gonna brake then the acid is still contained in something and no big spillage is made, it can then be kinda safely moved and neutralized, the method suggested above is a direct flame which could cause the glass to fail and HOT corrosive acid goes everywhere and really had to clean...

Endimion17 - 10-10-2011 at 02:43

What could possibly happen if he heats it properly, and not in a naked flame like most people here seem to do, but have no idea it's not by the book?

hissingnoise - 10-10-2011 at 02:53

Rather than use a RBF for concentrating sulphuric acid, my choice was a pyrex casserole dish.
Tempered soda-lime glass is not suitable; it must be genuine borosilicate pyrex!
Using bulb envelopes would be a nightmare . . .