White Yeti - 4-9-2011 at 11:12
Hello all.
I have been experimenting with Fenton's reagent lately and I came across a bizarre reaction. I prepared Fenton's reagent, then, I had the bizarre idea
to mix some copper carbonate and it instantly started fizzing. It changed from a transparent blood red to a very dark and opaque brown. I dropped into
it a small piece of dried onion peel and it began to decompose fairly rapidly. I was using 3% H2O2 and I have never seen regular fenton's reagent
decompose organic matter so quickly. Then after some time it started to oscillate; the fizzing took place during 5 seconds and then slowed down
noticeably for about two seconds and then fizzed again.
What on Earth did I make?!
Chemicals used:
~1g iron 3 acetate
~90mL 3% H2O2
~90mL water
~1g CuCO3 (added once the previous 3 have been mixed together)
Thank you for reading, any input will be greatly appreciated.
blogfast25 - 4-9-2011 at 12:15
How long did the oscillations persist for?
White Yeti - 4-9-2011 at 12:41
They persisted for about two minutes. I replicated the experiment though, and there were no oscillations in the second attempt. Luck perhaps?
blogfast25 - 5-9-2011 at 04:25
Could it be something bobbing up and down that first time? Real perodic reactions are rare. Something that fizzes might shed bubbles, then sink, then
pick up more bubbles and rise to the surface again and so forth. See for instance chips of aluminium in acid.