Mendeleev - 5-3-2005 at 19:09
I did an ether synthesis about a month ago, and I left my thermometer in the reaction flask all this time. I realize it is bad lab practice to leave
things like this but I am a fairly lazy individual. Anyways the flask contained drain cleaner H2SO4, ethanol which was 200 proof when it entered, and
water, nothing else. Just now I took out the thermometer to clean it, and I noticed the red spirit inside had gotten a lot lighter in color, almost
pink, and there was a black stain at the base of the thermometer. I gently poked it to make sure it wasn't damaged and the little bulb shattered
. Does anyone know what happened? This is the third thermometer I destroyed.
First one in a nitro synthesis, second one in a benzyl chloride synthesis, and now this.
BromicAcid - 5-3-2005 at 21:25
Although not terribly thin the glass could still be considered somewhat anologous to a glass membrane electrode. There is probably a difference in
pressure inside the thermometer, and of course a different liquid and possibly hydrogen ions were passed through the membrane. Additionally working
with glass membranes and sodium production they get weak and shatter when the sodium atoms are removed. Probably a combination of things, acid
leeching, proton exchange, maybe subsequent attack on the dyes (which sulfuric is famous for). My point being that there is probably some reason for
it and it doesn't seem all that strange that it happened after a soak for a month in sulfuric acid.
Mendeleev - 5-3-2005 at 22:27
Ick.
*kicks self in ass for being lazy*