mrjeffy321
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Cleaning TiO2 out of glassware
How would you-all recommend cleaning Titanium Dioxide out of glassware?
The TiO2 is adhered to the insides of a small, glass, volumetric flask and also inside the spout portion of a glass funnel. I was diluting a
TitaniumI(IV) Isopropoxide solution with ethanol….but apparently the ethanol was not an anhydrous as I thought and TiO2 precipitated out and got
stuck to the walls of the container..
The TiO2 would easily come off if I could only wipe it clean, but due to its location this is extremely difficult.
I could probably clear out the funnel with a thin pipe-cleaner by jamming it down the spout and effectively wiping away the TiO2, but the volumetric
flask is more difficult due to its long, thin, neck.
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YT2095
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Hydrogen peroxide will help dissolve is in water, but then you must take the ions with something, a Carbonate may help.
\"In a world full of wonders mankind has managed to invent boredom\" - Death
Twinkies don\'t have a shelf life. They have a half-life! -Caine (a friend of mine)
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YT2095
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HF will will do it also, but it`ll ruin your glassware if it`s too strong. neutralise with ammonia.
\"In a world full of wonders mankind has managed to invent boredom\" - Death
Twinkies don\'t have a shelf life. They have a half-life! -Caine (a friend of mine)
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mrjeffy321
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Hydrogen Peroxide...I never would have thought of that.
Thanks.
Link
Edit:
Ya, I want to stay away from HF to keep from damaging the glassware more than I absolutely need to.
[Edited on 1-15-2008 by mrjeffy321]
[Edited on 1-15-2008 by mrjeffy321]
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12AX7
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Oxalic acid or HCl may produce results.
Tim
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woelen
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HCl does not work (personal experience). H2O2 does work, but only on fresh precipitate. It forms a complex with a deep red/orange color (it high
dilution it is yellow).
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gregxy
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How about a mixture of sand or fine gravel and water? If you shake it gently it may wear away the film. Just be careful
since it could also scratch the glass.
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mrjeffy321
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The Hydrogen Peroxide worked quite well.
I was using 30% H2O2, since that is what I had available at the time. The TiO2 ‘stains’ were two days old when I cleaned the glassware today.
Using H2O2 by itself and adding it to the TiO2-coated glassware, the clear H2O2 solution turned yellowish-colored immediately.
Using H2O2 in combination with Sodium Carbonate, the solution stayed clear / white. Adding Sodium Carbonate to the already yellowed H2O2 solution
turned it back to clear / white.
Even adding [pure] H2O2 to containers which I thought were clean, but has used for TiO2 previously turned the solution yellow due to trace amounts of
TiO2 present which I didn’t even know were there.
Quote: | Originally posted by gregxy
How about a mixture of sand or fine gravel and water? If you shake it gently it may wear away the film. Just be careful
since it could also scratch the glass. |
That idea had occurred to me, but it felt that it would not get the glassware truly clean, it would just remove most of the larger particles, but
leave a thin film behind.
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12AX7
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The peroxy-titanium complex decomposes and precipitates in basic solution (and on drying, what a shame you can't crystallize that red stuff!).
I wonder if H2O2 as a ligand would be valuable to etching titanium, or if H2O2 as an oxidizer would be self-defeating. Hmm...
Tim
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Bezaleel
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I had some TiO2 stuck in a bump trap that had been in there for 2 years. I tried H2O2 that was 36% when new, but I guess it wasn't concentrated enough
anymore to dissolve the TiO2. Only a hint of yellow colour was formed when shaking it in the bump trap.
I sought resort to some 40 ml of 15% HCl solution with a spatula full of NaF, not all of which went into solution. After shaking it for a few minutes,
all TiO2 had been removed from the glassware, and was floating around as small particles. I did notice that the solution had become turbid. I can
hardly believe that this is due to attacking of the glass. I think it may be the result of spreading of the undissolved NaF as very fine particles.
The glassware now looks shiny and not etched.
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Oscilllator
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If it can easily be removed mechanically, then I can highly recommend swirling sand in the flask. I do this on a regular basis and to date have not
noticed any scratching on the glassware.
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Organikum
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Most metal stains are easily begone with hot oxalic acid.
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Texium
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Thread Moved 14-9-2023 at 11:52 |