Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Storage of certain things

DalisAndy - 10-5-2015 at 18:19

I have an old mercury thermometer and bottle of iodine, for my elements collection. Would there be any risk of the thermometer cracking or breaking in a wooden box? or is it safer to add a stabilizer around it, foam etc.? Since the bottle of iodine is kinda old, I figured that I should transfer it to a safer bottle. But what kind? I haven't found a solid source that tells how iodine should be stored

elementcollector1 - 10-5-2015 at 18:54

Thermometers are usually pretty sturdy, but go ahead and do what feels safe - better some protection than none.

Iodine, like most halogens, is tricky in terms of storage - some form of glass ampoule is usually your only safe bet. These can be made from test tubes or pipettes with the use of a blowtorch.

DalisAndy - 10-5-2015 at 19:45

Quote: Originally posted by elementcollector1  
Thermometers are usually pretty sturdy, but go ahead and do what feels safe - better some protection than none.

Iodine, like most halogens, is tricky in terms of storage - some form of glass ampoule is usually your only safe bet. These can be made from test tubes or pipettes with the use of a blowtorch.

If I use a small plastic bottle, that will leak right. Btw its medical iodidne i forgot that part

Volanschemia - 10-5-2015 at 19:54

By medical Iodine, do you mean it is a solution of I2 and KI? Like Iodine Tincture? If so, I'm pretty sure you can store it in any container.

If it's solid Iodine, then a glass ampoule is really the only failsafe method of storage, like EC1 said. I2 will sublimate and pass through almost all plastics, the exception being Polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon). Storing in a Teflon bottle with a Teflon cap and a Teflon seal is really the only way to store I2 in an openable container without it escaping. But for an element collection, an ampoule would be best.

Zephyr - 10-5-2015 at 20:15

My iodine has slowly escaped my glass vials and left a purple mark on my element table. I recommend investing in a few glass ampoules which can easily be bought on ebay.

diddi - 11-5-2015 at 05:05

I store I2 in ampoule for display and the rest double bottled in the freezer.

Hg is fine to store as the metal (ie break the thermometer and get the Hg). I store in glass under water, which enables viewing for your collection

Amos - 11-5-2015 at 19:25

I've never had a problem storing iodine, to be perfectly honest. The first time I made it I kept it in an old glass spice jar with a metal lid; I never had a reason to believe any escaped, as the inner walls of the container remained clear except for near the bottom.

j_sum1 - 11-5-2015 at 21:01

I am going to have to check my iodine. I had some in an ampoule but discovered that the ampoule neck had sustained a slight knock and there was a minute crack. I have discovered that iodine vapours turn polystyrene a lovely shade of pink. However all of my labels in my element collection will need to be redone and I am not amused.
I have the rest of my iodine in an amber jar with a screw top lid. There is a plastic bung under the lid that keeps most of the vapour in check and I have added a bit of teflon tape on the thread as an extra precaution. Problem is that I screwed the lid too tight the other week and it has cracked. Hopefully I can locate a replacement lid before the whole lot escapes.
I have heard of people storing I2 under water with reasonable success. I decided to not get mine wet but it is another idea to consider.
There are (many) whole threads on storage of the Houdini elements. It is worth a search.
To my knowledge, no one has a good solution for displaying a fluorine sample. (Except for this guy!) The best I can hope for is "sealing" it in a teflon ampoule (haha!) and burying the whole thing in an acrylic block.

Next to those, mercury is a cinch. Got a glass vial with a screw top?

Volanschemia - 12-5-2015 at 04:05

Quote:
I have heard of people storing I2 under water with reasonable success. I decided to not get mine wet but it is another idea to consider.


I tried this but the Iodine dissolves fairly extensively in the water. Storing under concentrated Sulphuric Acid works pretty well, which is how I currently store my Iodine crystals. The acid turns slightly pink (I think due to Iodine dissolving in the 2% water that makes up the azeotrope) but the sample is still very visible and the discolouration is no where near that of Iodine in water.

As for Mercury; storing it under water is good as it prevents the grey grungy stuff from forming on the surface. Also helps prevent vaporization, although it is pretty minimal to begin with.

DalisAndy - 12-5-2015 at 20:55

So even if I did crystallize it. It would still leech through?

j_sum1 - 12-5-2015 at 23:50

It sublimes. Gases have a way of escaping. And iodine is reactive enough with enough things to compromise most seals -- given enough time.

Hawkguy - 21-6-2015 at 19:07

Where can empty ampoules be purchased?

j_sum1 - 21-6-2015 at 19:18

They seem to be freely available in the US. Take a look on ebay. However, I had some difficulty in finding someone prepared to ship them at anything remotely resembling a reasonable price.
I ended up buying a few hundred on ebay from Germany. The reality has been though that I have made greater use of test tubes as ampoules. The wider neck has meant that it is easier to charge them with the element samples I wish to display.