Okay, we have LiNO3 in the lab, but it is hard as a rock and turns to slush when we take it out it is so hydroscopic. Would we be able to put in some silica in the container (seperately packaged, like the ones in Excedrin bottles) to dry it out? Would it work?
Second, could I take Limestone, CaCO3, and put it in acetic acid to make calcium acetate?
Third, would just adding ammonia and nitic acid together make ammonium nitrate?
If one were to take table salt and put it in nitric acid, would it make NaNO3 and HCl?
Thanks!
If you’re the one who started the permanganate thread, you have an odd affection for extremely powerful oxidizers.
Well, I can answer the hygroscopic chemical question, anyway. We used dessicators in all the labs I’ve ever been in. It’s a glass container, with dessicant (I think silica might work) in the bottom. Whatever you want to keep dry goes in the container on a rack. The top is sealed by a thin layer of grease on the lip. However, that won’t dry it out if it’s already been hydrated. You should go to a library and look up the temperature at which the LiNO3-H20 decomposes into H2O and LiNO3. That temperature might well require a very hot furnace. I would take that opportunity to make sure the heat won’t cause any nasty reactions before you dehydrate it, too.
As for acetic acid and calcium carbonate, that’s not going to produce what you want. You’ll get calcium ethanoate and carbon dioxide.
As for the third one, no. That’s probably not a question the mods will take lightly, either. Mixing ammonia and nitric acid is halfway to a decent rocket fuel formulation, though.
I don’t know about your last question. I seriously doubt it, and I’m not sure it’s something I’d just try. If the reactions you want don’t take place, some quantity of chlorine gas might be released.
What on earth are you making, anyway, with all these explosives and oxidizers?
Speaker for the Dead
The only side of that reaction is also sodium nitrate. Sodium nitrate was used up to WWI for explosives. I think the same for ammonium nitrate. I’m not sure the reasons for doing the first 2 reactions.
HCl is normally made from table salt (NaCl) by mercury (Hg) cells (where I work). Run electricity between salt water with Hg and it separates into Cl
NaCl + electricity + Hg catalyst --> 1/2Cl[sup]-[/sup] + NaHg
NaHg + H[sub]2[/sub]0 --> NaOH + 1/2 H[sub]2[/sub] + Hg
Then burn the H2 together with the Cl2 to get HCl
My organic chemistry book is at work but I don’t think the reactions you posted will produce the reactions you want.
I am very interested in thermochemistry. And as a teenager with a good chemistry teacher, I can explore these things. Some friends and I, with the teacher, are planning a geek week thing and are going to make small fireworks. We have the safety equipment and we will be working with small amounts behind blast shields. Don’t worry!
The lithium nitrate makes a beautiful burning color. However, when it is outside it takes in the consistency of slushy snow, so I was wondering how to stop that and salvage what we have left. I could just scrape it out.
I need calcium acetate to make gelled alcohol. I could just buy it, but I was interested in cheap methods.
The ammonium nitrate I was just curious about, because I know that nitrates can be made by introducing alkali metals to nitric acid. That and I might make ANFO ; )
I am not really concerned about using the HCl in the last reaction. I wanted sodium nitrate for an oxidizer.
Would there be a way to take the nitrate out of ammonium nitrate fertilizer and make nitric acid?
As an aside, I need to make nitrocellulose laquer. I can make guncotton, but does it dissolve in acetone? How was it dissolved to make the first plastic?
When a hygroscopic compound dissolves in the water it absorbs it is called a deliquescent compound.
Silica is not going to be a strong enough dessicant to remove the water from LiNO[sub]3[/sub]. You’ll need to use something stronger such as phosphorous pentoxide, P[sub]2[/sub]O[sub]5[/sub].
Second: Yes. Powder the limestone to speed the reaction. Calcium acetate and calcium ethanoate are simply different names for the same compound. Acetic acid is also called ethanoic acid.
Third: Yes, adding Ammonia to nitric acid will produce ammonium nitrate.
Fourth: Yes, NaCl will ionize in a solution of HNO[sub]3[/sub]. You’ll end up with a mixture of HNO[sub]3[/sub], HCl, NaNO[sub]3[/sub], NaCl. AFAIK, there is no easy way to isolate just the NaNO[sub]3[/sub].
Try putting your LiNO[sub]3[/sub] in an oven for a few hours to boil off the water. This also works for dehydrating CuSO[sub]4[/sub].7H[sub]2[/sub]O which can be used to make a lovely purple color.
There’s no easy way to separate sodium and ammonium salts, so you’ll have little luck making sodium nitrate from ammonium nitrate.
Your guncotton will dissolve in Acetone if you have gotten enough nitrate groups added to the cellulose.
Sulfates don’t throw off their O easily, do they? Could the CuSO4 be used as an oxidizer?
What also sits around in the CaC2H3O2 water mixture? Do you think I could just let some of the water evaporate off and introduce the concentrated stuff to alcohol?
Thanks!
“Okay, what temperature should I bake these at?”
300 F should work fine. Use glass, not metal, baking dishes. According to the CRC, hydrated LiNO[sub]3[/sub] will start to lose water, with boiling, at ~62 C. Be sure the container you use is big enough to prevent spattering.
The dehydration of CuSO[sub]4[/sub].6H[sub]2[/sub]O is uneventful. When it’s dry, the blue color will be nearly gone.
Sulphates are terrible oxidizers. You’ve got permanganate, at least on your hands, use it.
You’ll probably have to neutralize the excess acetic acid with some Ca or Na hydroxide and dry the resulting solution to get comething that will jellify alcohol. Have you considered using gelatin to do the job ?
I remember reading that sterno is made by adding calcium acetate to alcohol, so that is what I was thinking of. I could try gelatin. Got any suggestions?
Also, will the potassium permanganate react with the nitrocellulose laquer like it does with glycerin?
Why should you not store sulphur and chlorate mixes? I think it was chlorates, I know that there is something volatile abou sulphur when you add it to an oxidizer.