Prasedy
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How to store calcium
I bought calcium. The drum is about 30 cm in height. For this 2,6kg (2kg Ca) drum I paid 9 Eur. Urgently I must to isolate this from oxygen. For a
half of year the drum stayed vice versa and much of oil get out, and smeared on 10kg of Nickel acetate. Visually I can not see any smallest holes.
Question is - is it safe to open the drum , - how fast will oxygen penetrate the calcium? I have no experience with working with Calcium. And what
kind of mineral oils does not oxidize the calcium? On Internet shop I found pile of various Oils, I dot know what to choose. When I'll open that drum
I'd want to have a oil on hand, I hope the fire will not start  . I have no
slightest notion whats inside . When shaking on sound there is much of big piece metalic collisions. . Anyway its strange if the drum is made in
1968 and not oxidized so far.
http://lejup.lv/f/530cb88d5c2e0zbkqxpk1393342605.jpg
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IrC
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If your sure it is pure Ca metal (not hydride), and know it is not a fine powder (and air is not heavily water laden - pick a dry day), then you do
not need to be very worried assuming no other chemicals are involved. Typically Ca metal is drop formed meaning balls 6 to 10 mm in diameter. In dry
air in this large smooth round form you could pour them on a table and watch it do nothing at all. All day. Get a better container large enough to
hold it all and fill with mineral oil keeping all moisture away from it. I have dropped these balls in a beaker full of water and even after slight
heating only noticed tiny bubbles of hydrogen, and not much of that. Neither have I noticed much going on with a half inch diameter ball sitting on a
shelf for weeks. Just remember if in fine powder form you really do need to be careful. When I first purchased Ca balls I read the wiki page on Ca
metal and was very worried about it's reactivity. Later really irritated when even in water it just refused to do anything (like creating hydroxide -
releasing H2). After realizing what a pain in the ass getting Ca metal in this ball form to react, I ended up buying a pound of Calcium Hydroxide as
my goal was making Calcium Aluminates for my glow powder experiments.
"Science is the belief in the ignorance of the experts" Richard Feynman
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Prasedy
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Calcium
This is definitely a calcium. On label there is written in russian. And I searched for GOST number (russian stadart) in Iternet . That calcium is
not granular but something like big cones, 95% pure. When shaking its also sounds like something big pieces. At my local shop there is a mineral oil
in 80ml bottles for 1,7eur. Thats something expensive if I have to buy something like 1,5l. They do not offer larger bottles. I also went into the car
parts Store but there are dozens of oils, I dont know what to choose. I have a fear that the car oil will have additives that will react with
Calcium. Ok, if you swear that Calcium can wait a week without oil, tomorrow I'll open the drum and make photos. This evening its too dark outside.
Sorry for my bad english
[Edited on 25-2-2014 by Prasedy]
[Edited on 25-2-2014 by Prasedy]
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DraconicAcid
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You should be able to find "paraffin oil", which will work better than motor oil.
Please remember: "Filtrate" is not a verb.
Write up your lab reports the way your instructor wants them, not the way your ex-instructor wants them.
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Zyklon-A
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Yes, and at Home Depot, they have mineral oil, which works fine.
Would petroleum jelly work? It may seem like a stupid question, but it melts at around 40°C, and although it's kind of messy, it's very easy to get.
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IrC
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Quote: Originally posted by Prasedy  | | This is definitely a calcium. On label there is written in russian. And I searched for GOST number (russian stadart) in Iternet . That calcium is
not granular but something like big cones, 95% pure. When shaking its also sounds like something big pieces. At my local shop there is a mineral oil
in 80ml bottles for 1,7eur. Thats something expensive if I have to buy something like 1,5l. They do not offer larger bottles. I also went into the car
parts Store but there are dozens of oils, I dont know what to choose. I have a fear that the car oil will have additives that will react with
Calcium. Ok, if you swear that Calcium can wait a week without oil, tomorrow I'll open the drum and make photos. This evening its too dark outside.
Sorry for my bad english |
Your not making sense and it is not your English skills. Wait until you have the oil and new container before you open it. I have no way to know what
form it is nor what conditions it is under. I can only say my balls of pure Ca metal are very stable. How do you know some other chemical has not
leaked into the container and has thus far remained stable with the container closed. Unlikely, but opening it and waiting for days is pointless and
unwise. If oil can get out surely something can get in. At the very least even if nothing major happens it will be slowly reacting contaminating the
metal. There is no reason nor is it logical to do as you suggest.
Motor oil? I posted 'mineral oil'. Motor oil has various stabilizers and detergents that even if nonreactive will surely contaminate the hell out of
the Ca if there are any plans on doing work where purity is important. Mineral oil is a standard for reactive metal safe storage. Cheap and easy to
obtain as well.
"I wasn't replying to your post- I was replying to Prasedy's comment about getting "car oil" from "the car parts Store".
I figured that out finally but you replied too fast. I read that more carefully and redid my post. Anyway hopefully one of us will get across the
point you do not use motor oil for reactive metal storage.
"Would petroleum jelly work?"
Not a good idea as when stiff it leaves open spaces with air contacting metal. The purpose of oil is to completely coat all surfaces at all times
blocking air contact.
[Edited on 2-25-2014 by IrC]
"Science is the belief in the ignorance of the experts" Richard Feynman
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bfesser
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The label from his photo reads <em>"кальций
металлический Ca"</em> (calcium metallic Ca).
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