Sciencemadness Discussion Board - Calcium Acetate dry distillation

Calcium Acetate dry distillation

arkoma - 27-12-2017 at 06:37

Been saving eggshells and soaking in vinegar til I had several ounces Calcium .Acetate. Put 20gm in my little 250 sidearm disty rig and never got any acetone but did get thick white fumes that ended up clogging the top of the worm in my graham condenser. Had an aluminum foil tent around that I removed for clarity. Sorry about the picture quality. Any ideas what I have? GAA?

NEMO-Chemistry - 27-12-2017 at 07:27

Isnt that the dry calcium Acetate? Then you dry distill that for Acetone?? WARNING i been using Toluene today

aga - 27-12-2017 at 08:26

The stoi says you should have ended up with about 7g of acetone and 12g calcium carbonate.

Given that the CaAc decomposes at 160 C and acetone boils at 56 C, my guess is that it was a bit of a frisky reaction, blowing both the CaAc and calcium carbonate all over the place.

Was it a bit like vesuvius ?

NEMO-Chemistry - 27-12-2017 at 09:03

Quote: Originally posted by aga

The stoi says you should have ended up with about 7g of acetone and 12g calcium carbonate.

Given that the CaAc decomposes at 160 C and acetone boils at 56 C, my guess is that it was a bit of a frisky reaction, blowing both the CaAc and calcium carbonate all over the place.

Was it a bit like vesuvius ?

Actually i change my answer to what he said ^

aga - 27-12-2017 at 09:43

That kinda thing just racks up the post count rather than explore any chemistry.

Weren't you busy taking photos of a whole series of distillations or something, which we'll all see posted shortly ?

NEMO-Chemistry - 27-12-2017 at 12:16

Quote: Originally posted by aga

That kinda thing just racks up the post count rather than explore any chemistry.

Weren't you busy taking photos of a whole series of distillations or something, which we'll all see posted shortly ?

Shit, ok i guess i better go do it, i put it off long enough! first pic of set up in around 1 hour.

aga - 27-12-2017 at 12:25

Take your time and do the Science right, also the amazing photos, plus the tables of data that come out of the scientific process.

arkoma - 28-12-2017 at 06:31

Being back to work is kicking my but but I got home last night and took pictures and did one rudimentary test.

Excuse the picture quality, all I have is a junky old phone as a camera.

This picture is of the side arm where this stuff actually crystallized

Sidearm outlet

Solid mass stopping up my Graham Condenser. 14/20 joint.

Remainder in flask. Bottom is charred looking so evidently a lot bit of organic material is contaminating my CaAcet, but that is no surprise due to the fact all I did before xtalizing was boil and filter the solution to precipitate out most of the proteins.

Anyway, I dug some out of the top of my Graham and dissolved 0.1gm in 2ml water. It dissolved pretty easy and the solution pH'ed to 9. The solid has an acrid ammonia like smell.

*edit* @ aga, no Vesuvius or anything else untoward while heating. Some melted and formed a dark yellowish liquid and from this the white fumes evolved.

I really need to quit buying moonshine supplies for a month and get a decent camera for closeups *sigh*

[Edited on 12-28-2017 by arkoma]

ninhydric1 - 29-12-2017 at 20:02

arkoma, did you try recrystallizing the calcium acetate? It might've allowed a smoother, cleaner destructive distillation.

Magpie - 29-12-2017 at 22:10

If you have material crystallizing in your condenser you don't need a condenser. But if you use one then use air as the coolant.