Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Anyone have this salter science chemistry kit

vmelkon - 2-12-2013 at 18:00

http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/662097

There is a certain chemical that is basically a dye. I'm not sure what it was used for. Maybe it was used as a acid-base indicator?

The tube says C27H31N2NaO6S2 on it and Sky Blue Dye (Bleu du Ciel). The tube number is 36.
I did some web search and looks like this chemical has a few hundred other names such as Sulfan Blue.

Anyway, I can't remember why this chemical was included in the kit. I haven't used it.

confused - 2-12-2013 at 18:15

www.grrexports.com/Products/Acid-Blue-1.html‎
says
"Determination of the anionic and cationic contain"

so im guessing either pH indicator or redox indicator

apparently it's also used as a histology stain according to sima aldrich
http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/product/sial/198218?lang...

you could do a few tests to check, make a solution from a small sample and do some tests on it

BlackDragon2712 - 2-12-2013 at 18:20

found this, don't know if it is of any help!

http://www.chemspider.com/Chemical-Structure.8193.html

also

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&a...

so it seems that it also have some applications in medicine as well

[edited]

"Patent blue-VF is a dark bluish synthetic dye used as a food coloring and food additive. "

http://www.allergeaze.com/PDFs/FA/FA191.pdf


[Edited on 06/11/2013 by BlackDragon2712]

Ascaridole - 3-12-2013 at 03:20

Your guess of a redox indicator is a good one. A quick visit to sigma aldrich pulled up leuco patent blue violet

http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/product/sial/l1275?lang=...

In the description it notes the dye is in its reduced form. The wikipedia page shows an oxidized form. The sad part is theres no listing of its redox potential so some digging into older chemistry texts is needed.

Also it appears the oxidized form of this dye can be used as a pH indicator. Perhaps this was a "kill two birds with one stone" reagent for your kit.

watson.fawkes - 3-12-2013 at 07:31

Quote: Originally posted by vmelkon  
[in post title] salter science chemistry kit
Does anybody have the original manual for this set, or perhaps a scanned copy of it? http://keeline.com/chem/ has a number of old such manuals, but not for this brand.
<hr>bfesser moderator expellendus est

fez - 3-12-2013 at 12:19

The chemistry set pictured in the link looks like a later version (I'm guessing mid 80s from the use of TV science presenter Johnny Ball's endorsement) of the one I had as a child in the very early 80s. I don't have the set anymore but I do remember 'sky blue'. It came in the form of small crystals, like a paler more translucent copper sulphate.

It was used as an indicator, acid/base unless I'm much mistaken - surely redox would have been too advanced a concept for the target audience. I didn't understand at the time, and neither did my science teacher, why two separate indicators were included in the kit (methyl orange for acid pH and sky blue for alkaline). I'm fairly sure the colour change was from blue to green.

Sorry I can't be of more help, but thanks for stirring up some childhood memories!

vmelkon - 24-12-2013 at 09:41

Oh, now I finally understand what the black round thing is in the link I posted.
http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/662097

It is a record!
The version I had received as a gift had a audio cassette instead (late 80's). Yes, with Johnny Ball. I remember him saying things like if ice was less dense than water, it would sink. The oceans and seas would be frozen. Then something about getting some popsicle out of the freezer, sucking it to remove the flavor.
Quote: Originally posted by fez  
The chemistry set pictured in the link looks like a later version (I'm guessing mid 80s from the use of TV science presenter Johnny Ball's endorsement) of the one I had as a child in the very early 80s. I don't have the set anymore but I do remember 'sky blue'. It came in the form of small crystals, like a paler more translucent copper sulphate.


The Sky Blue Dye is actually very dark blue. Much darker than copper sulfate.