Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Melting sodium metal into solid blob

Harlan - 23-4-2017 at 13:02

I'm trying to melt sodium metal for a project. What I've tried so far is melting it in a pyrex based double boiler (mineral oil in both) and I worked well for melting the sodium. The problem is the sodium formed little balls instead of a single mass. I think it's the oxide layer preventing the individual balls from coalescing.

Is there an easy solution? I did see someone use isopropyl I think to dissolve the surface layer and get it into a single mass, but I haven't tried that method yet, and I only have 90% on hand.

Oh and the goal of the project is to make a sodium spoon sorta like a gallium spoon and use it in the same classic manor.

PirateDocBrown - 23-4-2017 at 13:20

IPA is the classic way.

Harlan - 23-4-2017 at 14:00

Thanks! Any suggestions for tinning sodium to copper wire? (Separate project)

j_sum1 - 23-4-2017 at 14:46

I would be extremely hesitant to make a sodium spoon. That would be foolhardy.

It is likely to corrode in air which would reduce its effectiveness as a prank. But more importantly, if someone was to drop it in a hot cup of tea the resulting explosion could have dire consequences.

Harlan - 23-4-2017 at 17:30

It's not intended as a prank, just a demonstration. I have a YouTube channel where I do various projects and it seemed like something different/interesting to do. I plan on releasing the spoon remotely.

Morgan - 24-4-2017 at 07:18

I wonder if you could mold a spiky sodium shape with a lot of surface area or just a large flat/thin pancake, if it would go bang on the surface of the water more energetically?

Harlan - 24-4-2017 at 12:48

Considering the fact that it's a coulomb explosion the easier it is to get blanketed by hydrogen and electrically insulate itself the more likely it is to explode
http://cen.acs.org/articles/93/web/2015/01/Sodium-Potassium-...

[Edited on 24-4-2017 by Harlan]

[Edited on 24-4-2017 by Harlan]

PirateDocBrown - 24-4-2017 at 14:39

There's a video out there of a guy skipping a disc of sodium on water, like a skimming stone. Google it, it's quite a show.