ElizabethGreene
Hazard to Others
Posts: 141
Registered: 15-10-2012
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Hardware Store source for carbon tubes/electrodes
My refrigerator takes an EcoAqua EFF-6007A water filter https://amzn.to/4b9ON8L (Amazon Affiliate link). I just replaced mine and cut open the old one.
Under the surprisingly thick plastic casing it contains a fabric covered activated carbon filter element that can be easily pulled out of the housing.
The fabric cover cuts off with a utility knife and that reveals a 1.5 Inch OD 0.5 Inch ID carbon tube 6 inches long. There are two plastic end caps,
one with a hole in it that are firmly glued in place. Attempting to remove one end cap mechanically broke a small portion of the end off the tube. I
did not try heat, cold, or solvent to remove it.
So why do I mention this here? I use the little carbon rods out of lantern batteries for electrochemistry, and they break down with vigorous use.
This, being much larger, I'd expect to last longer in the same reactions and they are available in my local hardware store, notably at much higher
prices than Amazon. I'm mentioning it here in case anyone needs a bigger (or cleaner) carbon electrode than the little lantern battery ones.
I have one concern with this. These are activated carbon, a material well known for its ability to adsorb chemicals. I am NOT an expert on this, but
I *think* if you used it in a small volume reaction it's entirely possible that it could adsorb your desired product. Again I *think* it would show
up as a low yield in initial experiments, and then an increasing yield in later experiments as the carbon material "loaded up" with the products. I
may be completely wrong and welcome any feedback on that.
I have no idea how to attach a wire to this to feed in current and welcome suggestions on that too. Left to my own devices I'll probably 3-D print a
clamp to hold it and the wire or a bit of nickel terminal in place.
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ElizabethGreene
Hazard to Others
Posts: 141
Registered: 15-10-2012
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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Those pictures are a bit deceiving on one point;The tube does pop out; you don't have to use it with the gnarly housing bit attached. The broken
piece on the right is just where I tried to remove the endcap. It was one piece before I derped with it.
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Mateo_swe
National Hazard
Posts: 505
Registered: 24-8-2019
Location: Within EU
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I would think it´s better to buy a precious metal electrode for electrochemical experiments.
They are a bit expensive but not very much expensive and they last very long time if used within specification..
Be aware tough, buy from a good seller with a lot of good references as many such electrodes on ebay are fake.
I bought a fake one from china but i should have known better as it was very cheap.
I later bought a good platinum electrode of a US seller on ebay that vas a bit expensive but the real deal.
You can test the electrode by putting some drops of H2O2 on the electrode and if you see bubbles forming its OK.
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