Sciencemadness Discussion Board

questions on platinized asbestos

Schmiddy - 16-11-2019 at 08:59

hi ya'll

I have some questions on the platinized asbestos as outlined in this procedure

https://www.prepchem.com/preparation-of-platinized-asbestos/

in will be used later for this procedure


https://www.prepchem.com/synthesis-of-formaldehyde/


now my issue is sourcing a use able piece of asbestos to use,the other things needed are already sourced.

asbestos is a thing that's mighty hard to easily come by these days even in small quantities.

so my first question as it appears the asbestos is just an inert substrate with a high surface area can glass wool be substituted?

My own gut feeling is no due to the structural difference,asbestos is more porous and glass fiber far less so.

now my second question is can a piece of platinized sponge from a catalytic propane heater be used as a substitute?

there are natural sources of asbestos in my country as we were once a major exporter of it but those deposits are no where near me.




Pumukli - 16-11-2019 at 09:12

Yes, asbestos is just a high-surface carrier. Pumice? zeolites (cat litter)? Decolorizing carbon? Something surely can substitute it.

Schmiddy - 16-11-2019 at 09:36

Quote: Originally posted by Pumukli  
Yes, asbestos is just a high-surface carrier. Pumice? zeolites (cat litter)? Decolorizing carbon? Something surely can substitute it.


Thank you,I am looking into platinized zeolites as they are used for hydrocracking.

I am also looking into platinum on carbon as that looks fairly straight forward.

I'm thinking if I use something granular rather than fibrous catalyst than it may work better if the reaction tube was vertical with and a couple of screen with the catalyst spread out in a thin layer on them to get better contact with the vapors.

Sulaiman - 16-11-2019 at 13:12

Quote: Originally posted by Schmiddy  
https://www.prepchem.com/synthesis-of-formaldehyde/

can a piece of platinized sponge from a catalytic propane heater be used

I would expect the answer to be yes.

Due to curiosity I bought a cheap 'hand warmer' that uses naptha lighter fluid and a platinised sponge.
The catalyst sponge is fairly durable at dull red heat. (I guess around 700oC based on colour)
I bought a few spare catalyst sponges with the intention of trying similar reactions - but I have not tried yet.

Schmiddy - 16-11-2019 at 16:42


So I was sniffing up the right tree. it seems like a better option than a granulated catalyst as the sponge is designed for a gas to flow through it and is already prepared.

by hand warmer you mean this right?

https://www.zippo.com/collections/hand-warmers/products/6hou...


Sulaiman - 16-11-2019 at 22:40

Mine looks like a zippo hand warmer,
but it is a cheap eBay version :D
So YES, and NO.

Vomaturge - 16-11-2019 at 23:37

These might be worth a shot:
https://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Catalyst-Systems-Platinum-Br...

Heptylene - 17-11-2019 at 01:53

Silica wool will work better than glass wool as a catalyst support. Glass will soften at the operating temperature of the catalyst (800°C), which will destroy it quickly. Silica (pure SiO2) softens at around 1600 °C, so it will stand practically any temperature that can be reached in a home lab.

I made a thread a while back on making a Pt on silica catalyst, the source of silica being wick used in e-cigarettes. The catalyst is for use in making nitrogen oxides from oxidation ammonia, in a similar process to that used to produce formaldehyde in fact.

I expect carbon will not last long at red heat in an oxygen-rich atmosphere. WGTR fabricated elegant catalyst supports using homemade ceramics.

wg48temp9 - 17-11-2019 at 03:03

You can buy a ceramic honey comb plate on ebay UK including postage from china 5 pounds. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Soldering-Board-Block-Honeycomb-C...
hccermaic.jpg - 34kB
I don't know how porous it is.

You can get a similar looking ceramic from an old gas radiant heater. They are very porous and can be cut easily with an old hacksaw blade and shaped with sand paper. They are about 10mm thick with about 2mm holes.
gasheater.jpg - 22kB

WGTR - 17-11-2019 at 14:16

If the alcohol reservoir is kept at 40C, then everything between there and the catalyst should be kept at that temperature or above, to prevent alcohol from condensing back to a liquid and either dripping onto the catalyst or bumping explosively.

Maybe keeping the apparatus covered with aluminum foil and heating with a hair dryer would do the trick. I personally would put the whole thing into an oven at 40C.

rockyit98 - 17-11-2019 at 15:58

you can make nickle wire plated with pt.just etch fine wire(much smaller than hair)with FeCl3 to increase surface area.than wash and
rinse with distilled water. dunk in cold Chloroplatinic acid .i think doug's lab or some "name" lab did a video about making palladium on carbon go and watch that.

Schmiddy - 18-11-2019 at 01:35

all excellent replies
thank you

I have some reading ahead of me.