shaheerniazi
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High voltage electrolysis of sodium chlorate
I did a electrolysis with 150-200Volts with one copper electrode and one carbon electrode( took it from a battery), I dipped the copper in first and
then dipped the carbon a bit inside because it started flaming or burning, the carbon started glowing from red and then yellow, the solution was
turning yellow, what was the yellow powdery solution, was it copper chlorate? and I saw drops of carbon formed on the carbon after I took it out? did
it melt? because when I did the electrolysis with copper facing the sparking, it melted!
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bfesser
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Thread Moved
19-12-2013 at 05:55 |
bfesser
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What made you think this belongs in Organic Chemistry?
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Nicodem
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I don't know if you are trolling or just being utterly irresponsible, but purposely short-circuiting 200 V rates among the most stupid things you can
do safety-wise. Why the hell did you do that? And what does that have to do with electrolysis? Don't you know that it is the electric current that
drives the electrolysis? So why would you use such a high potential? And finally, don't you know that you need to read the literature before you
design an experiment? Not checking the literature can result in injuries or death. You might have been lucky this time, but sooner or later luck runs
out.
…there is a human touch of the cultist “believer” in every theorist that he must struggle against as being
unworthy of the scientist. Some of the greatest men of science have publicly repudiated a theory which earlier they hotly defended. In this lies their
scientific temper, not in the scientific defense of the theory. - Weston La Barre (Ghost Dance, 1972)
Read the The ScienceMadness Guidelines!
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SM2
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I guess technically it could go into the organic section, but only because the anode or cathode is composed of carbon. But I mirror what Nicodem and
everyone else said. I'm sure glad it's not me performing these experiments!
"Old men who speak of victory
shed light upon their stolen life
they - drive by night- and act as if they're
moved by unheard music." B. Currie
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woelen
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This experiment hardly can be called electrolysis, as pointed out by Nicodem. What basically happens is production of tremendous amounts of heat in
and around the electrodes, so I am not at all surprised that you observed melting (probably of the glue/filler component of the graphite rod).
This indeed is very dangerous. You can easily electrocute yourself, because you work with wet stuff and the sodium chlorate in the solution makes the
liquid highly conductive. Touching it will at least give you a very heavy jolt, but it may easily cause your heart to stop beating or getting in
fibrillation and then you're dead in seconds!! An additional danger is if your vessel is wet at the outside as well, or spraying of droplets of
solution during the experiment. This may cause the entire table or desk to become an electrocution risk!!
If you want to do electrolysis, then use voltages of 5 volts, maybe 10 volts, but that is quite high already. Higher voltage does not lead to better
electrolysis, it only leads to extremely dangerous situations and production of a lot of heat. Also keep in mind that you need DC voltage and not AC.
Do not think that this experiment is safe with other salts, it is insanely dangerous with any solution. Just stick to low voltages.
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shaheerniazi
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Ok I wont do it again, but just tell me what the yellow powder is.
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shaheerniazi
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Nicodem I respect what you said but you people are just surrounded by trolls that you think everything is trolling, I dont think this "question" can
provoke angry responses,
and Bfesser I was writing in a hurry so it came in this forum, big deal???
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Nicodem
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Quote: Originally posted by shaheerniazi  | | Nicodem I respect what you said but you people are just surrounded by trolls that you think everything is trolling, I dont think this "question" can
provoke angry responses |
I do not discriminate between trolls or fools - both have the same effect. Just because one does not purposely troll, but nevertheless writes trollish
posts, I will in no way treat it more gently. If you do idiotic acts that can result in injury or death, please do them privately and do not write
about it on this forum. This forum is not about amateur self-injury and suicides, it is about amateur science ("the art and science of amateur
experimentalism"). You make no attempt to understand science or design experiments. Just trowing matter and energy together under uncontrolled
conditions is not experimentalism, but is more alike to vandalism.
…there is a human touch of the cultist “believer” in every theorist that he must struggle against as being
unworthy of the scientist. Some of the greatest men of science have publicly repudiated a theory which earlier they hotly defended. In this lies their
scientific temper, not in the scientific defense of the theory. - Weston La Barre (Ghost Dance, 1972)
Read the The ScienceMadness Guidelines!
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bfesser
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Yes, actually. Posting in any forum
just because you're in a hurry is akin to spamming. If you're that hurried, <em>don't post.</em>
We can't tell you what the yellow powder was, because there are too many unknown variables in your 'experiment'. You didn't even define what
electrolyte you used. By the way, was this 150–200 VDC or VAC? Either way, you're lucky it didn't just blow up in your face.
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IrC
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What was left of one of your hopefully 9 lives? 8 left if your a cat people.
"Science is the belief in the ignorance of the experts" Richard Feynman
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