Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Production of chlorates?

vampirexevipex - 17-3-2012 at 16:15

I've been wondering how to produce chlorates, i saw in the internet that can be produce by electrolysis but, if i electrolyze the aqueous solution (Iron Chloride), the chlorine gas may escape leaving only iron oxide and iron hydroxide. So my questions are: can you make iron chlorate from electrolysis? does the cathode and anode must be made of a specific material? can i use graphite for the cathode and anode? Thank you.

[Edited on 22-02-12 by vampirexevipex]

Brominator - 18-3-2012 at 03:20

You may have problems using electrolysis for the production of iron chlorate as iron hydroxide isn't soluble in water so the cl2 gas made at the anode won't react to form the clo- very easily so chlorate production will be limited.
and yes to graphite electrodes will work for chlorate production but you will have to find a way of separating out fine carbon particles from you product if it works.

vampirexevipex - 18-3-2012 at 04:00

Do i need to run it at a specific voltage?

Bot0nist - 18-3-2012 at 06:40

Here is a great video of chlorate production from the cheap and available potassium chloride water softener/ salt substitute. Using a platinum coated electrode. One of these can be obtained for around $80 USD and will run for ever practically with no noticeable corrosion or contamination. This guy has a really nice set up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FyGP-zSpZo

Of course if you are desperate for a little bit of chlorate you can try the thermal disassociation of NaClO to NaClO<sub>3</sub> and NaCl, then a subsequent metathesis with KCl to yield KClO<sub>3</sub> by precipitation from solution, as seen here. This works fine and is tried and true, but it is very inefficient.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtxQT7aVDeg

As far as voltage, amps, and temp...

UTFSE!
Try terms like "chlorate cell," "electrolosis cell," "making chlorate," etc.

Pulverulescent - 18-3-2012 at 16:19

Quote:
Do i need to run it at a specific voltage?

I used to run chlorate cells at 5 ─ 7V! A good median!

cyanureeves - 20-4-2012 at 18:39

i made quite a bit of potassium chlorate over the winter but i dont know if it is the purest i can make yet.some of the chlorate burns all black with addition of sugar but another bigger batch leaves a white hard residue after burning. does the bigger batch still have alot of chloride in it that needs to be converted to chlorate or is it common to leave this white crust behind?it burns very rigorous.

weiming1998 - 20-4-2012 at 21:05

Quote: Originally posted by cyanureeves  
i made quite a bit of potassium chlorate over the winter but i dont know if it is the purest i can make yet.some of the chlorate burns all black with addition of sugar but another bigger batch leaves a white hard residue after burning. does the bigger batch still have alot of chloride in it that needs to be converted to chlorate or is it common to leave this white crust behind?it burns very rigorous.


The white crust is KCl produced in the reaction. It is natural for a white crust to be left behind and you cannot make a mix that doesn't do that. Does your potassium chlorate burn slowly with sugar, or rapidly in a pink flash of light? Because contaminated KClO3 isn't really an efficient oxidizer and burns very slowly.

cyanureeves - 21-4-2012 at 05:08

it burns pretty quick and pink but i noticed that a smaller batch i made which i let go for weeks, started precipitating a different looking salt in the center of both electrodes on top of the already precipitated chlorate.it did not look crystally like the rest of the chlorate but a bit curdlike and was more bitter than salty tasting.this smaller batch salt burns way cleaner and faster in spite of it being less cleaner potassium chloride.by cleaner i mean that the chloride was all mixed with a red clay looking stuff that i had to boil and cooled then recrystallized,it came in a three pound bag.

weiming1998 - 21-4-2012 at 05:13

Quote: Originally posted by cyanureeves  
it burns pretty quick and pink but i noticed that a smaller batch i made which i let go for weeks, started precipitating a different looking salt in the center of both electrodes on top of the already precipitated chlorate.it did not look crystally like the rest of the chlorate but a bit curdlike and was more bitter than salty tasting.this smaller batch salt burns way cleaner and faster in spite of it being less cleaner potassium chloride.by cleaner i mean that the chloride was all mixed with a red clay looking stuff that i had to boil and cooled then recrystallized,it came in a three pound bag.


I would guess...Perchlorate formation? Because a perchlorate would oxidize the carbon more completely (increased oxygen:non oxygen ratio) and would also leave less KCl (again more oxygen in the molecule). It is also less soluble than potassium chlorate.

cyanureeves - 21-4-2012 at 05:47

weiming1998 thanx .i will now think about doing the rest of my chlorate.