Panache
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Alternatives to paraffin
Hello all,
Has anyone used any alternatives to paraffin for storing sodium metal under?
if so what and how?
i'm going to try argon overnight unless someone has a fantastic alternative..
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Sulaiman
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Gasoline?
(not tried personally - obvious hazard but if nothing else...)
I guess argon is safer 
[Edited on 1-6-2021 by Sulaiman]
CAUTION : Hobby Chemist, not Professional or even Amateur
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teodor
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Xylene, ether.
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Texium
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I wouldn’t recommend ether (too volatile).
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teodor
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I keep it in a freezer at -18C. Also there are other ethers with higher boiling point.
Probably Xylene should be better for long-term storage but low-grade xylene requires some purification before putting sodium inside.
[Edited on 1-6-2021 by teodor]
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Praxichys
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Considering most gas these days is at least 10% ethanol, there would likely be violence involved with
mixing these two.
Mineral oil is the best choice and is found in many forms. It is sold at most drugstores as a laxative and can be found in large quantities online for
the same use but for veterinary purposes on large animals. On Amazon it's about 20 bucks for a gallon.
Odorless mineral spirits would be a good second choice, as would kerosene, heating oil, lamp oil, and many high-boiling naphthas intended for parts
cleaning like ShellSol D60-D100, Exxsol D series, Safety-Kleen solvent, etc.
As a last resort, nondetergent 30-weight motor oil would work, or camping fuel if you don't mind the volatility. Sometimes you can find vacuum pump
oil at auto shops which would also work.
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Fyndium
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Paraffin oil is available everywhere cheap, so is there a specific reason not to use it? For human use, it usually costs multitudes more than what it
is sold for wood treatment, etc.
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Metacelsus
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WARNING!
Be ABSOLUTELY SURE your freezer is spark-free before storing flammable chemicals (especially ether) in it! Otherwise explosions can result.
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Texium
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Well, yes, but typically saying "ether" without
qualifiers implies the diethyl variety.
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Mateo_swe
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The unperfumed baby oil for sensitive babys is pure mineral oil and found evrywhere.
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Panache
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Quote: Originally posted by Fyndium  | | Paraffin oil is available everywhere cheap, so is there a specific reason not to use it? For human use, it usually costs multitudes more than what it
is sold for wood treatment, etc. |
Just convenience at the time, we were in hard lockdown, nothing was open and it was 11pm.
The argon has worked a treat so much so it remains shiny several days afterwards. I used a polypropylene tuperware type container with oring snap
seals, ran argon into it for about twenty seconds, placed the sodium lump in that i had just cut, it consumed the large part of the containers
capacity, snapped the lid on.
i kept expecting it to turn that characteristic bottom of a public trash can galvanised mottled grey but it stays shiny!! argon works better than
paraffin
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Texium
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Due to diffusion of the gas, you’ll still likely have to flush it with argon every so often. Paraffin that has been degassed by bubbling argon
through would probably be a better bet for long term storage.
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FrenchChemist
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turpentine works for me
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