hodges
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Not really iron?
I bought some iron filings in order to make iron sulfide.
I heated stoichiometric amounts of this and fine (sublimed) sulfur in a test tube using a torch. No reaction. I even heated part of the test tube
until it glowed orange. Melted all the sulfur until it boiled. Still did not ignite, and still as magnetic as it was originally.
I'm wondering if this might not really be iron filings? Maybe it is magnetite? Or perhaps the particle size is too large to react?
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clearly_not_atara
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Remember that story about Archimedes and the crown?
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DraconicAcid
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I find that reaction rarely works, even with proper iron.
Please remember: "Filtrate" is not a verb.
Write up your lab reports the way your instructor wants them, not the way your ex-instructor wants them.
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Sulaiman
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Fine iron powder rusts easily/quickly in humid air.
Iron powder should look silver to grey colour.
If your sample looks brownish then the surface has oxidised,
which makes initiation of the reaction difficult.
Try direct application of a flame to the mixture.
It is possible that ALL of the iron has rusted in which case I doubt that the reaction will work.
I can't think of anything cheaper than iron that is attracted to a magnet so its unlikely to be fake.
This reaction has always worked for me.
Assuming that you intend making H2S, don't underestimate its toxicity
CAUTION : Hobby Chemist, not Professional or even Amateur
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Sir_Gawain
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How fine are the filings? This reaction won't work with coarse iron filings; you'll need a fine powder.
“Alchemy is trying to turn things yellow; chemistry is trying to avoid things turning yellow.” -Tom deP.
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Rainwater
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You can always mix some with carbon and reduce it back to iron
"You can't do that" - challenge accepted
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blogfast25
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If only it was as simple as you make it sound. It's a process that requires high temperatures.
I'd say buy a better grade, perhaps from a reputable chemsupplier?
[Edited on 8-1-2023 by blogfast25]
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hodges
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As you can see from the picture, they are fairly course. Maybe that is the problem?
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DraconicAcid
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Yes, and possibly oxidized at the surface, too.
Please remember: "Filtrate" is not a verb.
Write up your lab reports the way your instructor wants them, not the way your ex-instructor wants them.
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Sulaiman
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If test tube scale does not work,
I would try ;
1 get a clean dry tin can
2 lightly grind some of the iron filings to expose the un-oxidised iron,
You can use a mortar and pestle or a blender etc.
3 put a weighed quantity (eg 50g) of the iron into the tin
4 add powdered sulfur (about 1.5x the weight of iron = excess) to the iron in the tin
5 mix well
6 outdoors, throw a burning match into the mix
7 if that does not work use Mg strip or a firework sparkler.
The result will be usable for H2S production
CAUTION : Hobby Chemist, not Professional or even Amateur
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Texium
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Thread Moved
9-1-2023 at 09:25 |
Sulaiman
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P.S. A convenient source of small quantities of very fine iron powder is in dessicant packets as found with food items.
The sachets look similar to the previously more common silica gel dessicant packs.
Easy to identify with a magnet.
I expect the iron to be free of toxic elements or compounds, (food grade)
but I do no know its purity.
Larger quantities of iron powder are used in single-use heating pads,
I forget if this source is a fine powder or not,
and it would not need to be food grade.
Used dessicant or heating packs would of course contain Fe2O3.
CAUTION : Hobby Chemist, not Professional or even Amateur
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hodges
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Quote: Originally posted by Sulaiman  | P.S. A convenient source of small quantities of very fine iron powder is in dessicant packets as found with food items.
The sachets look similar to the previously more common silica gel dessicant packs.
Easy to identify with a magnet.
I expect the iron to be free of toxic elements or compounds, (food grade)
but I do no know its purity.
Larger quantities of iron powder are used in single-use heating pads,
I forget if this source is a fine powder or not,
and it would not need to be food grade.
Used dessicant or heating packs would of course contain Fe2O3. |
Interesting! I assumed these were always silica gel. I will test with a magnet next time. Beef jerky packages for example.
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hodges
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I bought some 200 mesh "reduced iron" powder. It is very fine, and shiny.
I was able to get the reaction to work in a test tube, but it took very intense heating to get it started. Upon breaking the test tube, the product
is difficult to separate because it sticks to the broken glass.
It is still slightly magnetic, despite the fact that I used a slight excess of sulfur. But I'm sure it is technical grade FeS.
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