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Author: Subject: Viable method for extracting strontium from sparklers?
ninhydric1
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[*] posted on 1-7-2017 at 19:41
Viable method for extracting strontium from sparklers?


As I expect, there will be many people saying to UTFSE or whatever, but first, I found nothing, and second, this procedure is fit for my circumstances and the amount of resources I have. The reason I'm extracting strontium is for flame tests and maybe add it to my element collection. So here's the procedure I devised up:

1. Crush the red sparklers into a powder.

2. Dissolve the powder in about 200-300 mL of water.

3. Filter off any undissolved material.

4. Add dropwise a solution of a sulfate salt (I'll probably use either CuSO4 and MgSO4) until no more precipitate appears. Using a filter paper, filter off the precipitate.

5. (I plan to convert it to the nitrate salt) Add dil. nitric acid slowly to the precipitate. Add 50 mL of water. Keep adding nitric acid until all of the insoluble material has reacted and dissolve.

I'm just wondering if step 5 will actually convert it to the nitrate salt, and if so, what type of gas will it produce? And correct any of these steps if they are incorrect.

NOTE: I'm not using it for pyrotechnic purposes, so please don't detritus it, mods.
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symboom
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[*] posted on 1-7-2017 at 22:33


No dont waste the precious nitric acid
So much more valuable than strontium nitrate
As for extraction strontium carbonate react with ammonium nitrate and boil solution just as the reaction of baking soda and ammonium nitrate to make sodium nitrate gases produced with be ammonia and carbon dioxide gas

Here is extraction of strontium nitrate from a road flare you get a lot more along with sulfur
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b1D5GKdherY

[Edited on 2-7-2017 by symboom]




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[*] posted on 2-7-2017 at 01:33


Step 5 just won't work.
SrSO4 will not react with HNO3

However, if you only want it for an element collection, the sulphate will do.

You might do better to leach the sparklers in water to get a solution of Sr salts (I guess mainly the nitrate).
Filter it.
Add Na2CO3 solution to ppt the Sr as SrCO3.
You can put that in the element collection as is or react it with HCl to get SrCl2 which is more volatile and will give a better flame test.
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ninhydric1
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[*] posted on 2-7-2017 at 09:21


The problem with the Na2CO3 method is that there might be magnesium in the sparklers, and the Na2CO3 method might also precipitate any magnesium ions in solution unless the magnesium is in metallic form.

I might attempt the ammonium nitrate method. It seems simple, and not many side products will be left behind in solution.
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symboom
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[*] posted on 2-7-2017 at 10:58


The sparkler is already strontium nitrate
As the oxidizer https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparkler
No other oxidizer can be used sodium will over power the red strontium color so only strontium nitrate can be used ignore my comment that would be if it was strontium carbonate
Sure the search engine might not come up with answers not many work with strontium chemistry I have done a bit.
I would substitute strontium nitrate for barium nitrate such as making copper nitrate from copper sulfate any transition metal nitrate needed.
but boiling down the strontium nitrate solution is better and can be boiled to dryness with out decomposing easily. Decomposes at 1,193 °F kcompared to magnesium nitrate at 626 °F or sodium nitrate at 716 °F;
Also see what your doing

I assume this is why the OP stated the reaction
Strontium sulfate
It is more soluble in dilute HCl and nitric acid and appreciably soluble in alkali chloride solutions (e.g. sodium chloride)

Strontium nitrate is insoluble in nitric acid
So understandably why one might think this

But sulfuric acid is not produced it is a stronger acid it onlt helps desolve it based in ions in solution

Strontium salts are very interesting chemicals there solubilitys can be altered just by adding different ions normally insouble strontium sulfate dissolving in solution

[Edited on 2-7-2017 by symboom]




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