Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Storing Chemicals

aYoungKing - 9-9-2014 at 13:17

ok, so there is this guy i used to know who has chems exposed to temperature fluctuations

it dips below freezing for about 12 hours

what he is most worried about is his HCl freezing, expanding, breaking the glass and dumping everywhere. It is lab grade HCl, it's about 3/4s full and less than a gallon. Does anyone know the freezing point of HCl acid

he also has benzene, which he noticed was already frozen, does benzene expand like water?

also he has lots of ammonium salts that have had water leaked onto the cheap cardboard paper capsules that they came in

lots of anhydrous things have gotten wet. does a simple bake on low heat in the over or tucked under heating lamps do the trick on drying?

he made sure all his caps on the containers were cranked down as tight as he could make them, he will get electrical tape and put them on the threads next visit

Texium - 9-9-2014 at 13:47

Quote: Originally posted by aYoungKing  
ok, so there is this guy i used to know who has chems exposed to temperature fluctuations
First of all, if you're trying to do a "SWIM" thing, we don't do that here.
Quote: Originally posted by aYoungKing  
it dips below freezing for about 12 hours

what he is most worried about is his HCl freezing, expanding, breaking the glass and dumping everywhere. It is lab grade HCl, it's about 3/4s full and less than a gallon. Does anyone know the freezing point of HCl acid
Depends on the concentration. What is the concentration of it?
Quote: Originally posted by aYoungKing  
he also has benzene, which he noticed was already frozen, does benzene expand like water?
No, water is very unique in that regard. Very few compounds expand on freezing. Most do the opposite.
Quote: Originally posted by aYoungKing  
lots of anhydrous things have gotten wet. does a simple bake on low heat in the over or tucked under heating lamps do the trick on drying
Depends on what you're talking about. For some, that will work, but others will decompose when heated. What sort of anhydrous "things" are you referring to?

aYoungKing - 9-9-2014 at 13:57

35 - + % HCl

anhydrous things are

sodium sulfite

sodium carbonate

sodium bisulfite

sodium thiosulfate

NaOH, is already caked up inside the glass

KOH, already caked together inside the glass

magnesium

ferrous sulfide

calcium phosphate

lots of ammonium salts

mercuric chloride

sulfur, powder and lumps

iodine

many more things, will be posted after he visits the location

aYoungKing - 9-9-2014 at 14:06

sodium acetate

concentrated H2SO4

acetone


Metacelsus - 9-9-2014 at 16:01

The HCl won't freeze, unless you live in Antarctica during the winter.

Let's give him the benefit of the doubt, before assuming he's a drug cook. The list of chemicals doesn't look very suspicious.

Still, unless he's actually talking about a friend, he should use "I".

woelen - 9-9-2014 at 23:00

@aYoungKing: Why use the "he" form? Your question is too specific and detailed for making me believe that you ask this question about someone else's set of chemicals. These chemicals are yours and please be clear and honest about that. On sciencemadness we have had quite a few (wannabe) drugs cooks who also were talking about "someone who is not me" and the use of this construct is frowned upon very much over here.

Your other post about replacement of phosphorus by some other chemical to make HI became suspicious because of the "not me" construct. If I simply asked a question on how to make HI, then probably most people will not frown upon it (especially if you have a decent posting history already), but combined with the "not me" construct and being a brand new member it certainly makes us think about drugs cookery.

Amos - 10-9-2014 at 05:12

The "someone I used to know" template is as illogical as it is suspicious. If you "used to know them" but don't currently, why are you asking very precise questions on their behalf? If you're a drug cook, you'll likely be caught very quickly if this is how you operate.

xfusion44 - 10-9-2014 at 13:26

@OP

Freezing point for 38% HCl is -26°C, and a little bit less for 35% conc. If you will want to dry anhydrous substances, you will need to look up on wikipedia for boiling points or the decomposition temperature. You mustn't heat your compounds above boiling or decomposition point if you just want to dry them.

[Edited on 10-9-2014 by xfusion44]