Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Mercuric nitrate and an unexpected precipitate

Radagast97 - 26-4-2016 at 18:49

I synthesized some mercuric nitrate using 6 N HNO3 and Hg over the period of an hour (preparation from Rhodium). Condensed it down to a slurry. All appeared exactly as expected.

I then added it to a little water to dissolve, then to a solution of potassium thiocyanide. I was trying to make some Pharoah's serpents eggs for my nephews to see (made some from HgCl2 when in my late teens). I got an almost white precipitate which quickly started showing orange tones, becoming more pronounced with time. I got a small evolution of gas, but very small. Since I've determined some of the solids are sulfur. The orange is not just sulfur, given the color is both soluble and too orange to be explained by sulfur.

I would like to recover the Hg, as a Hg++ nitrate or chloride.

Any clues as to what happened and where to go from here.

[Edited on 27-4-2016 by Radagast97]

[Edited on 27-4-2016 by Radagast97]

Deathunter88 - 26-4-2016 at 19:24

Watch Nile Red's new video on it, he talks about possible side reactions producing the orange color if the two solutions are mixed too fast.

Radagast97 - 27-4-2016 at 06:44

Thanks

crystal grower - 27-4-2016 at 07:09

Radagast97 are you from Czech republic?
Sorry for being off topic, Im just curious:D.

hissingnoise - 27-4-2016 at 08:34

Quote:
I was trying to make some Pharoah's serpents eggs for my nephews to see.

Black non mercury snakes are safer around kids ─ and Davis describes their prep. in COPAE!

Radagast97 - 27-4-2016 at 10:53

lol, no crystal grower, from the US, Georgia specifically.

If the question is from the name Radagast he was an obscure character ("Radagast the Brown") in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, only mentioned once in the first book. :)

Thanks, hissingnoise.

[Edited on 27-4-2016 by Radagast97]

[Edited on 27-4-2016 by Radagast97]

hissingnoise - 27-4-2016 at 11:09

"COPAE" is in the forum library and is worth checking . . .

If you don't yet have access, ask an admin.?

crystal grower - 27-4-2016 at 11:23

Quote: Originally posted by Radagast97  
lol, no crystal grower, from the US, Georgia specifically.

If the question is from the name Radagast he was an obscure character ("Radagast the Brown") in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, only mentioned once in the first book. :)

Thanks, hissingnoise.

[Edited on 27-4-2016 by Radagast97]

[Edited on 27-4-2016 by Radagast97]

Hhhh :D :D I thought your name is from "Radegast" which is a czech brand of beer L0L :D.

Radagast97 - 19-5-2016 at 13:38

Thanks for the replies, second batch worked well using suggestions here. Nephews impressed.

>..."which is a czech brand of beer"
I'll have to keep an eye out for it, lol.

careysub - 19-5-2016 at 14:47

Quote: Originally posted by Radagast97  

If the question is from the name Radagast he was an obscure character ("Radagast the Brown") in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, only mentioned once in the first book. :)


But he gets a lot of play in the Hobbit movie trilogy.