Little_Ghost_again
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Growing copper Nitrate crystals
Hi
would it be possible to make then grow copper nitrate crystals? I know its a mare with absorbing water from the air but could it be done in a
desiccator with say sodium hydroxide or calcium oxide as the desiccant? maybe under a small reduced pressure?
I am collecting a small display of copper and iron compounds (dont ask me why as I have no idea).
I would like the sulphate and nitrate forms as crystals sealed in inert dry gas afterwards.
Dont ask me, I only know enough to be dangerous
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Metacelsus
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I don't see why not. If you have a saturated solution and slowly evaporate it, you'll probably get some nice crystals.
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Little_Ghost_again
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Ok thanks I might give it a go, I tried making some ages ago and it went like slush in minuets, so this time a might try a desiccator. There are some
other nice copper compounds but seems alot of the ones I like go bang!
Dont ask me, I only know enough to be dangerous
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Oscilllator
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Sure they can be grown. I have made them (accidentally) in the past by dissolving copper in concentrated nitric acid. When the highly exothermic
reaction had cooled, some crystals crystallised out. I imagine the difficulty lies in evaporating the solution entirely.
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Little_Ghost_again
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Quote: Originally posted by Oscilllator  | | Sure they can be grown. I have made them (accidentally) in the past by dissolving copper in concentrated nitric acid. When the highly exothermic
reaction had cooled, some crystals crystallised out. I imagine the difficulty lies in evaporating the solution entirely. |
I have a sheet of acrylic and marine ply staring at me in the shed, so maybe time to get some long arm nitrile gloves and make a glove box  . Or just use a large desiccator with some calcium oxide and sodium hydroxide as a
desiccator.
Dont ask me, I only know enough to be dangerous
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blogfast25
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| Quote: Originally posted by Little_Ghost_again |
I have a sheet of acrylic and marine ply staring at me in the shed, so maybe time to get some long arm nitrile gloves and make a glove box . Or just use a large desiccator with some calcium oxide and sodium hydroxide as a
desiccator. |
There's no need for a glove box here. Copper(II) nitrate has a steep solubility/temperature dependence, so thermal recrystallization is perfectly
possible.
Slow evaporation of the water in the supernatant in a warm place should also work.
The real problem is keeping them. As you wrote, they're very hygroscopic and tend to reduce to mush quickly.
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Little_Ghost_again
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| Quote: Originally posted by blogfast25 | | Quote: Originally posted by Little_Ghost_again |
I have a sheet of acrylic and marine ply staring at me in the shed, so maybe time to get some long arm nitrile gloves and make a glove box . Or just use a large desiccator with some calcium oxide and sodium hydroxide as a
desiccator. |
There's no need for a glove box here. Copper(II) nitrate has a steep solubility/temperature dependence, so thermal recrystallization is perfectly
possible.
Slow evaporation of the water in the supernatant in a warm place should also work.
The real problem is keeping them. As you wrote, they're very hygroscopic and tend to reduce to mush quickly. |
By growing them I am actually after growing them large, not just getting them to form. I will give the desiccator a go.
Dont ask me, I only know enough to be dangerous
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