Today I received a 1L bottle of tert-butyl alcohol, and when I pulled it out of the box, the bottle resembled a brick. The entire mass was frozen
solid. Although I live in California we have been having some cold days where room temp is around 20oC. (70oF)
The bottle is polyethylene and although it dented inwards I have no worries about its breaking. It's only I would like to use the chemical I
purchased, and since solids don't flow all that well...
I looked all over, and it seems no one else is having this problem so I am putting this under beginnings since this may be a rather dumb question. I
thought immersing the bottle in warm water would do the trick and Flinn Scientific seems to say the same, but that means unfreeze it every time I want to use it?
Is this just a summer time fun chemical?
[Edited on 12-12-2014 by numos]Ozone - 11-12-2014 at 19:35
Yes. The melting point is 25-26°C. I always put mine into a bucket with a trickle of hot water.
O3violet sin - 11-12-2014 at 21:01
my bottle, which resides in california also, periodically does the same with the seasons. you can hold it in your hand and it will melt ( in a
container of course )
[Edited on 12-12-2014 by violet sin]chemrox - 11-12-2014 at 21:33
It's nice to have constant temperature chemical storage. Otherwise things decompose. Changing temperature causes bottles to "breathe."numos - 12-12-2014 at 21:11
It's nice to have constant temperature chemical storage. Otherwise things decompose. Changing temperature causes bottles to "breathe."
This sounds interesting, can you please elaborate? I've never heard of this, does it have something to do with the bottle expanding and shrinking and
that weakens the polymer? How would that cause (I'm assuming 'things' refers to the contained chemical) decomposition? Thanks!
my bottle, which resides in california also, periodically does the same with the seasons. you can hold it in your hand and it will melt ( in a
container of course )
[Edited on 12-12-2014 by violet sin]
Well that would be easier if I didn't have to melt one liter every time, but I suppose a good idea would be to melt it once and transfer a small
amount to a more manageable container.
[Edited on 12-13-2014 by numos]forgottenpassword - 13-12-2014 at 01:53
I'm assuming he means 'breathe' as in take in and expel air, but a properly sealed bottle will instead expand and contract, as you suggest. Or if it's
glass, do nothing!dermolotov - 13-12-2014 at 12:39
It's nice to have constant temperature chemical storage. Otherwise things decompose.
Do you know by how much, mate?
Year round, I keep all my volatiles in a fridge at around 4deg C. I unplug the fridge in the fall and plug it back in during the spring.
I always believed that simple reagents and solvents like Hexanes, Toluene, Sulphuric Acid, Alcohols, etc don't actually have shelf lives and
technically can be stored forever [with ever decreasing purity]
