Calcium acetate

Calcium acetate is a water soluble acetate of calcium. It has a usefully interesting solubility curve, and can be very easily be made into a supersaturated solution.

Properties

Chemical

Calcium acetate can be easily cracked on heating to make acetone and calcium carbonate.

Ca(CH₃COO)₂ → (CH₃)₂CO + CaCO₃

It is also a rather reactive, soluble calcium salt. Treatment of anhydrous calcium acetate with concentrated sulfuric acid produces insoluble calcium sulfate and glacial acetic acid, a useful reagent. Calcium acetate will also gel many alcohols if mixed in correct proportions. Too much calcium acetate will revert the gel back to a liquid.

Physical

Calcium acetate in pure form is a white powder that readily absorbs water to form a translucent, crystalline monohydrate. It can be redried to the anhydrous form with heating, but calcium acetate is one of few ionic salts that can burn on its own, so open flames and very high temperatures will ruin the product.

Availability

Not only is this chemical commonly sold as a 'hot ice' substitute, it can be made from calcium carbonate and acetic acid.

Preparation

Calcium acetate can be easily produced by reaction of calcium hydroxide or carbonate with acetic acid.

Projects

• Make glacial acetic acid
• Make acetic anhydride
• Dry-distill acetone
• Make flaming jelly
• California Snowballs

Handling

Safety

Calcium acetate can be considered mostly harmless. It is, though, a soluble calcium salt, and large oral doses could be harmful.

Storage

Calcium acetate should be stored in sealed bottles, to keep in anhydrous. The hydrated form can be stored in any bottle or container.

Disposal

As it has low toxicity, it can be safely poured down the drain or dumped in the trash.