Sciencemadness Discussion Board

platinum leaf for perchlorate cells?

NEMO-Chemistry - 17-10-2017 at 12:15

https://www.goldleafsupplies.co.uk/gold-metal-leaf/platinum/

Seems a reasonable price, I was wondering if these are thick enough to use for perchlorate/chlorate cells etc?

I was thinking of covering titanium with them, not sure exactly how I would attach, but it would be a reasonable (price wise) way of using it. maybe two sheets per side??

Any thoughts on this approach?

Sulaiman - 18-10-2017 at 00:22

Due to a very thoghtful secret santa, I have a booklet of the transfer platinum foil from that supplier,
I also bought titanium foil and a bullion bar to cover with the platinum,
I still have the ingredients, but no recipe :(
I do not want to destroy my only platinum sample,
I'm considering using the foil as electrodes for the production of ozone from the air using silent electrical discharge
... on the to-do list ....

I have no perchlorate cell experience yet,
but I suspect that this foil is too fragile to use as an anode coating,
I hope that I'm proved wrong.

NEMO-Chemistry - 18-10-2017 at 02:51

I thought it might be too thin, but then again if its got anode to coat, it might be ok?? I dont know how thick the coating is on a platinum anode, but it cant be much thicker than the foil.

For the price it might be worth doubling the amount, and making sure the anode itself is well covered. So many fake platinum anodes on ebays, at least this company has a very good rep.

Would be an easy solution if it works :D

Deathunter88 - 18-10-2017 at 09:22

Quote: Originally posted by NEMO-Chemistry  
I thought it might be too thin, but then again if its got anode to coat, it might be ok?? I dont know how thick the coating is on a platinum anode, but it cant be much thicker than the foil.

For the price it might be worth doubling the amount, and making sure the anode itself is well covered. So many fake platinum anodes on ebays, at least this company has a very good rep.

Would be an easy solution if it works :D


You still haven't said how you would make it adhere to the titanium. I'm pretty sure most size would dissolve in a perchlorate cell.

NEMO-Chemistry - 18-10-2017 at 18:34

Quote: Originally posted by Deathunter88  
Quote: Originally posted by NEMO-Chemistry  
I thought it might be too thin, but then again if its got anode to coat, it might be ok?? I dont know how thick the coating is on a platinum anode, but it cant be much thicker than the foil.

For the price it might be worth doubling the amount, and making sure the anode itself is well covered. So many fake platinum anodes on ebays, at least this company has a very good rep.

Would be an easy solution if it works :D


You still haven't said how you would make it adhere to the titanium. I'm pretty sure most size would dissolve in a perchlorate cell.


Does it have to be stuck? What about tightly wrapped and crimped over? Bit like foil round chewing gum.

First i got to decide if its worth trying, if the foil isnt thick enough then all else is a mute point.

wg48 - 18-10-2017 at 22:03

I could not find the thickness for any platinum leaf but I eventually found the thickness of some gold leaf at between 0.1um to 0.8um. So I will assume that platinum is 0.5um that’s about 32 times thinner than typical cooking aluminium foil. It will be very very weak.

Will it even survive the bubbling on an electrode? How would you crimp it? Look at a video of someone using gold leaf. It folds with a breath of air. I would think you would have to atleast glue it on with say a silver loaded epoxy. As its so thin how long will it last?

yobbo II - 20-10-2017 at 13:00

https://www.amateurpyro.com/forums/topic/1629-making-potassi...

See eb666 post

Workes good.
About 50 grams perchlorate per day using one amp and chlorate as the starting material (not chLoride)
No erosion of 1 gram pt bar.
No problems at pt and ti interface.
Need to purchase one gram bar:D but will last years

Yob