Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Walgreens instant cold packs there brand

cannagorila - 17-5-2016 at 13:58

What is there brand cold pack made from and if urea how do I tell, also the perils are very small and don't really smell like anything but are pure white. Any guess?
Please help.

Firmware21 - 17-5-2016 at 14:09

Honestly, I'd do this : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GILxx9ahuA

However I just read somewhere that adding NaOH to urea might also produce ammonia
(There http://www.scienceforums.net/topic/38367-what-happens-when-y...),
it's probably BS though.

Are you sure there isn't anything written on the pack ? Google anything you have on it, you might get some results.

The Volatile Chemist - 17-5-2016 at 15:44

No, not BS, so far as I've seen through googleing the decomp. of Urea. Urea is, from what I can see, hydrolyzed by strong acid- and alkaline- solutions into various ammonaical compounds. I'm fairly certain you'd be able to tell by treating with strong base, but perhaps thermal decomposition would be a better route. If you're going for buying urea, pet-safe driveway salt is super cheap and is from what I've seen usually near-pure urea (and labeled so). Though I assume you're not particularly looking for urea.

vmelkon - 18-5-2016 at 14:45

I tested using sulfuric acid and a copper wire. If it turns blue in a day, it is NH4NO3. If you gets white precipitate, it had Ca(2+).
If there is no color change, it is urea.

violet sin - 18-5-2016 at 18:05

If you test with NaOH, arent you going to get the production of ammonia from either urea or ammonium nitrate? Kinda defeats the purpos of the test.

Sublimation perhaps?

vmelkon - 21-5-2016 at 07:30

Quote: Originally posted by violet sin  
If you test with NaOH, aren't you going to get the production of ammonia from either urea or ammonium nitrate? Kinda defeats the purpose of the test.

Sublimation perhaps?


That's correct, it will release NH3.

no MSDS

symboom - 21-5-2016 at 12:07

Looking up the msds.
products sometimes have the chemicals listed on the packaging some are not which can be irritating looking up the brand name along with the msds gives you what it contains

If they would post it on their website would make it easier
Im surprised by in the age of chemical pobia its not listed

Then again its better for people not to know the whole its a trade secret thing