coyote
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Cleaning powdered metals from glassware
Hi, I have some powdered aluminum ~2micron and powdered iron oxide in some beakers and funnels. It's pretty hard to get out, Looking for suggestions
on easier methods to clean it.
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Romix
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HCl
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averageaussie
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react the aluminium with dilute hydrochloric acid with a small pinch of salt to bypass the oxide layer, let it react to form aluminium chloride, which
is very soluble. wash as normal.
as for the iron oxide, is it iron(III) oxide or iron(II) oxide?
Reacting the iron(III) with acids might work, but I couldn't find many good sources that gave an actual equation. it should be the same as aluminium,
react with a small amount of hydrochloric acid. if this doesn't work, you may need to heat it, but this wont work for the funnels. another method
might be to use oxalic acid, which it dissolves in.
for iron(II) oxide, a reaction with hydrochloric acid should also work.
I am not 100% on the iron oxide reactions, but I have experience with the aluminium reaction, so I am confident that will work.
please be careful with the acid, and don't have an open flame near either reactions, as hydrogen gas may be produced. keep safe, and have fun.
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