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Loptr
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Another idea I have had for the production of spherical sodium is as follows.
Take a test tube and drill a few small holes into its closed end, and suspend it over a beaker of room temperature mineral oil. In a beaker, heat
sodium until it is in a freely molten state under mineral oil. Once the sodium has been heated to the point where it can easily be poured, start to
pour (or pipette) the molten sodium into the first test tube, where the sodium will then proceed to drip through the bottom of the test tube, and into
the room-temperature mineral oil.
As the sodium slips through the bottom of the test tube, it will briefly be exposed to air, and will begin to harden and possibly oxidize slightly.
Upon contact with the room temperature mineral oil below, it will completely solidify into something resembling a sphere, hopefully. (I think the
size of the holes could result in sodium ranging from a sphere to something more elongated, especially if the sodium slips through the bottom as a
constant stream.)
I believe the size/shape of the sodium could be controlled by the size of the holes at the bottom of the test tube. Some heating might have to be
applied to the test tube in order to keep it as fluid as possible.
I know you guys could provide possible alternatives, so any ideas or issues?
[Edited on 4-2-2015 by Loptr]
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S.C. Wack
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Simply slightly swirling the sodium in hot (not boiling) xylene gives larger shot. A few hard shakes (Fieser, sodium ethoxide) breaks these to dove
shot and finer (depends on your definition of tiny), and more shaking reverses that some. References for the preparation of powders and dispersions
aren't obscure if you really need them, but most people don't, so the majority don't need to spend more than a few seconds on this.
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Loptr
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Quote: Originally posted by S.C. Wack  | | Simply slightly swirling the sodium in hot (not boiling) xylene gives larger shot. A few hard shakes (Fieser, sodium ethoxide) breaks these to dove
shot and finer (depends on your definition of tiny), and more shaking reverses that some. References for the preparation of powders and dispersions
aren't obscure if you really need them, but most people don't, so the majority don't need to spend more than a few seconds on this.
|
I have a bit of sodium and was considering the possibility of producing sodium sand or spheres, and making it available for purchase here on SM.
Similar to the sodium spheres I had for sale here a while back.
So while it might not mean much to the average joe, I would like to produce something with some uniformity in size and shape.
[Edited on 5-2-2015 by Loptr]
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subsecret
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That's the book! Here's the part about the sodium spheres:
About 25 cc. of purified xylene is poured into a 100-cc. round-bottomed,
longnecked flask and 11.5 g. of cleanly cut sodium is quickly weighed
and added. A cork is inserted loosely and the flask is placed in a
sand bath and heated until the rim of boiling xylene rises to the
top of the neck. The flask is removed and wrapped in towels,
the stopper is inserted, and the flask is shaken five or six times
in the direction of its length, giving a sharp whip to each stroke.
A little air is admitted and the mixture is allowed to cool. Too
much shaking often causes the particles to coalesce. In a successful
operation a very finely divided, even powdery, metal
results and it has a bright appearance. Often the product is
more properly described as "bird shot" sodium, and it is rather
gray. If larger lumps are present the heating and shaking should
be repeated.
That's on page 385 of Fieser's Experiments in Organic Chemistry.
[Edited on 5-2-2015 by Awesomeness]
Fear is what you get when caution wasn't enough.
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Loptr
International Hazard
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Here is a book I have stored on Google Drive regarding the preparation of Sodium Amalgam using a procedure similar to the one I provided above. It
contains pictures of the sodium amalgam, and it looks nice.
Note on the Preparation of Sodium Amalgam in the Form of Pellets
H. S. Isbell, H. L. Frush, and N. B. Holt (August 26, 1959)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B69P61GB16K8V3QzYlBnODZpcmM...
[Edited on 5-2-2015 by Loptr]
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