Sciencemadness Discussion Board
Not logged in [Login ]
Go To Bottom

Printable Version  
 Pages:  1  2
Author: Subject: Purifying this store bought ammonia
shannon dove
Hazard to Self
**




Posts: 77
Registered: 30-11-2011
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 5-1-2013 at 08:20


Quote: Originally posted by DougTheMapper  
Depending on the concentration you need, you can also seal two beakers in a plastic bag, one with distilled water and the other with ammonia solution. Eventually they will equalize in ammonia concentration, one pure and the other with the suds in it. Keep in mind that the end result will be of a little less than half of the original concentration.

This works for pretty much all aqueous dissolved gas solutions like HCl, formaldehyde, methylamine, etc.

[Edited on 8-10-2012 by DougTheMapper]

What about setting a third container in there with calcium oxide in it. Would that bring the concentration up?
View user's profile View All Posts By User
S.C. Wack
bibliomaster
*****




Posts: 2419
Registered: 7-5-2004
Location: Cornworld, Central USA
Member Is Offline

Mood: Enhanced

[*] posted on 5-1-2013 at 15:12


The water container might work better with some sulfuric or phosphoric acid added to it. Or HCl, with a wide glass tube connecting the HCl to a wide container of crap ammonia.



"You're going to be all right, kid...Everything's under control." Yossarian, to Snowden
View user's profile Visit user's homepage View All Posts By User
shannon dove
Hazard to Self
**




Posts: 77
Registered: 30-11-2011
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 5-1-2013 at 16:43


Quote: Originally posted by S.C. Wack  
The water container might work better with some sulfuric or phosphoric acid added to it. Or HCl, with a wide glass tube connecting the HCl to a wide container of crap ammonia.

I thought the idea was to make an ammonia -water solution, not an ammonium salt.
View user's profile View All Posts By User
S.C. Wack
bibliomaster
*****




Posts: 2419
Registered: 7-5-2004
Location: Cornworld, Central USA
Member Is Offline

Mood: Enhanced

[*] posted on 5-1-2013 at 18:06


Quote: Originally posted by shannon dove  
I thought the idea was to make an ammonia -water solution


Sure is! That's why I've put y'all on the most practical route to it! (without distilling it). There's only one practical way to make these soapy and/or weak ammonias useful.

[Edited on 6-1-2013 by S.C. Wack]




"You're going to be all right, kid...Everything's under control." Yossarian, to Snowden
View user's profile Visit user's homepage View All Posts By User
elementcollector1
International Hazard
*****




Posts: 2684
Registered: 28-12-2011
Location: The Known Universe
Member Is Offline

Mood: Molten

[*] posted on 5-1-2013 at 18:20


Can you distill an ammonium solution?



Elements Collected:52/87
Latest Acquired: Cl
Next in Line: Nd
View user's profile View All Posts By User
S.C. Wack
bibliomaster
*****




Posts: 2419
Registered: 7-5-2004
Location: Cornworld, Central USA
Member Is Offline

Mood: Enhanced

[*] posted on 5-1-2013 at 19:14


Quote: Originally posted by elementcollector1  
Can you distill an ammonium solution?


Why not? Don't expect anything but water to come over...unless you add NaOH first...

[Edited on 6-1-2013 by S.C. Wack]




"You're going to be all right, kid...Everything's under control." Yossarian, to Snowden
View user's profile Visit user's homepage View All Posts By User
elementcollector1
International Hazard
*****




Posts: 2684
Registered: 28-12-2011
Location: The Known Universe
Member Is Offline

Mood: Molten

[*] posted on 5-1-2013 at 19:31


So, will distillation remove water, leaving the starting solution more concentrated?



Elements Collected:52/87
Latest Acquired: Cl
Next in Line: Nd
View user's profile View All Posts By User
S.C. Wack
bibliomaster
*****




Posts: 2419
Registered: 7-5-2004
Location: Cornworld, Central USA
Member Is Offline

Mood: Enhanced

[*] posted on 5-1-2013 at 19:41


Quote: Originally posted by elementcollector1  
So, will distillation remove water, leaving the starting solution more concentrated?


If the salt is one of a strong acid...it will fail with weak acids.




"You're going to be all right, kid...Everything's under control." Yossarian, to Snowden
View user's profile Visit user's homepage View All Posts By User
shannon dove
Hazard to Self
**




Posts: 77
Registered: 30-11-2011
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 5-1-2013 at 20:03


Oh, I see, make an ammonium salt, boil the water away, then react the dry salt with a strong alkali like sodium hydroxide (dry) then use this anhydrous ammonia gas to mix with your very own clean water to whatever concentration you want.
Is that the idea?
View user's profile View All Posts By User
S.C. Wack
bibliomaster
*****




Posts: 2419
Registered: 7-5-2004
Location: Cornworld, Central USA
Member Is Offline

Mood: Enhanced

[*] posted on 5-1-2013 at 20:19


In this case it would be preferable to separate the soap and ammonia (in whatever form) at the same time like I said but 2nd choice would be isolating the salt from the soap by partial evaporation and recrystallization because you might find fragrance or etc weirdness from distilling the soap with caustic.

PS The problem is that although distilling concentrated ammonia solutions works great for getting ammonia out, it really sucks for weak solutions, unless you only want weak solutions.

[Edited on 6-1-2013 by S.C. Wack]




"You're going to be all right, kid...Everything's under control." Yossarian, to Snowden
View user's profile Visit user's homepage View All Posts By User
elementcollector1
International Hazard
*****




Posts: 2684
Registered: 28-12-2011
Location: The Known Universe
Member Is Offline

Mood: Molten

[*] posted on 5-1-2013 at 21:38


Sounds like a better plan than mine. How 'bout ammonium chloride?



Elements Collected:52/87
Latest Acquired: Cl
Next in Line: Nd
View user's profile View All Posts By User
S.C. Wack
bibliomaster
*****




Posts: 2419
Registered: 7-5-2004
Location: Cornworld, Central USA
Member Is Offline

Mood: Enhanced

[*] posted on 6-1-2013 at 09:14


Vapor phase reaction at STP with HCl would be best, if it works with these dilute solutions and the salt condenses. Unless you want ammonia now.

If you neutralize (not to pH 7) grocery store ammonia with HCl, you're going to be boiling off a lot of water, and you have to really boil off a lot of water to get enough ammonium salt to be worthwhile. Soaps start precipitating at a point. Although that could be a pure one-day stovetop adventure, I'd look into battery acid and vapor.




"You're going to be all right, kid...Everything's under control." Yossarian, to Snowden
View user's profile Visit user's homepage View All Posts By User
elementcollector1
International Hazard
*****




Posts: 2684
Registered: 28-12-2011
Location: The Known Universe
Member Is Offline

Mood: Molten

[*] posted on 7-1-2013 at 10:05


So, in other words, boil both ammonia and HCl into a flask, and let the reaction sort itself out. At the end, there should be a deposit of ammonium chloride (hydrate? Anhydrous?)

Do you think concentrated sulfuric acid would work better in solution, as the sulfuric will steal water from the ammonia?




Elements Collected:52/87
Latest Acquired: Cl
Next in Line: Nd
View user's profile View All Posts By User
 Pages:  1  2

  Go To Top