HgDinis25
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Unknown Substance
A friend of mine bought some sort of heat pads in Japan and brought them home. You are supposed to atach them to your body so it absorbs the normal
heat coming from your body and then it "stores" it. When the temp. drops, like at night, you atatch them again to you and it realeases the heat to
your body.
I opened one of the packages and putted some of the powder into a watch glass:
https://imageshack.com/i/f3fuq9j
It seems to be a mixture of substances...
I tested the solubility of the powder in water and methanol:
https://imageshack.com/i/0idgjkj
It makes water go a little bit brown; the methanol was contaminated with water.
I also tested the solubility in diethyl ether and acetone:
https://imageshack.com/i/npobe6j
Completly unsoluble.
I tested the powder with a magnet only to find that it was indeed magnetic (first time this test comes up positive for me):
https://imageshack.com/i/0zrb13j
I tested the powder with 33% HCl and got a reaction. Some gas was evolved and the solution went yellowish-brown, like a Iron (III) Chloride solution.
Thinkin I had a mixture of Iron (II) and Iron (III) after the reaction with HCl, I added 3% H2O2 expecting the solutoion to go even more brownish.
Instead it became greenish-yellowish:
https://imageshack.com/i/g9mgbzj
So, what do you think this powder is? And what sort of reactions is happening when it "stores" heat?
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elementcollector1
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A mixture of iron powder, carbon and vermiculite, the same as in any heat pack. The brown is due to the iron powder oxidizing to iron oxide upon
exposure to air.
Elements Collected:52/87
Latest Acquired: Cl
Next in Line: Nd
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thesmug
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Not sure on the "storing" of heat portion but yes, it is almost certainly a mix of iron compounds. Iron compounds are widely used for this kind of
application, take a look at the back of a hand warmer (for skiing and snowboarding) and it will have a big warning saying that it contains iron.
[EDIT] Ah well, mr. elementcollector beat me to it by mere seconds...
[Edited on 3/15/14 by thesmug]
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HgDinis25
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Quote: Originally posted by elementcollector1  | | A mixture of iron powder, carbon and vermiculite, the same as in any heat pack. The brown is due to the iron powder oxidizing to iron oxide upon
exposure to air. |
You seem to know the exact composition. Can I ask for a source, please? I've tried a few google searches but never found anything besides calcium
chloride heat pads and sodium acetate reusable.
Can you enlight me on the reaction taking place, making the pad only usable once?
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thesmug
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Is this what you're looking for?
http://www.chemistryislife.com/the-chemistry-of-hand-warmer
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HgDinis25
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Yes that was exactly what I hoped to find. Thank you. Anything usefull about vermiculite?
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thesmug
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I think you can also extract silicon from it and it is (obviously) a good thermal insulator.
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elementcollector1
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I suppose you could, it being a silicate. Though, I wonder why you would bother.
Elements Collected:52/87
Latest Acquired: Cl
Next in Line: Nd
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HgDinis25
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I want indeed silicon for my element collection but there are many more methods that, even thow are hard, are much easier than isolating it from
vermiculite, AFAIK. Do you have any procedure in mind, thesmug?
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thesmug
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| Quote: Originally posted by HgDinis25 | | I want indeed silicon for my element collection but there are many more methods that, even thow are hard, are much easier than isolating it from
vermiculite, AFAIK. Do you have any procedure in mind, thesmug? |
I didn't when I posted at first, I had only assumed it was possible (though I never said it would be easy  ). I looked around and found this document, which could be of some use. I will have to look further to see if there were any other methods.
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HgDinis25
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Anyway, mystery solved. Thank you thesmug, for the informational link provided, it was exactly what I wanted. And thank you elementcollector1 for
your quick answer.
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blogfast25
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The only thing that will work at the hobbyist's level is reduction of SiO2 with Al powder with lots of sulphur present. There are plenty of threads on
that on this forum. Search and ye shall find.
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HgDinis25
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| Quote: Originally posted by blogfast25 |
The only thing that will work at the hobbyist's level is reduction of SiO2 with Al powder with lots of sulphur present. There are plenty of threads on
that on this forum. Search and ye shall find. |
Ýes the topic of sand thermite and isolation of silicon as already been very well discused here. Just to state, one can also buy silicon wire, or
extract silicon from computer chips...
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