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Use the discount code "copper" for a 5% discount.
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Molecular sieves vs. standard methods of solvent drying: http://ccc.chem.pitt.edu/wipf/Web/Solvent_Drying.pdf
This video sponsored by:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMfs3e9OdZQ
Mineral oil or Paraffin oil is a useful oil for making oil baths and storing reactive metals. It is composed of high boiling inert hydrocarbons distilled from commercial crude oil.
Amateur chemists can use baby oil since baby oil is mostly composed of highly purified paraffin oil. It's best to use oil that is unscented and hypoallergenic as that oil is purest and has no reactive additives.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXQwVdTZd_g
In this video we explore the chemical resistance of gold.
The gold coin survives hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, bleach (sodium hypochlorite) and sodium hydroxide.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng6DGwiKWag
How to Make a Complete and Refillable Glow Stick with a steampunk style to it.
The idea is simple, use compression fittings normally used in plumbing to create a glow stick tube that can be emptied and refilled when the fluid dies.
The vials or ampoules of hydrogen peroxide is created from cheap glass pipettes that are flame sealed.
The other chemicals can be found from our original glow stick reaction video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kH19EIf5GtE
An important change though is the use of diethyl phthalate solvent rather than ethyl acetate. Diethyl phthalate gives a longer lasting light. Other aliphatic dialkyl phthalates can be used including diethylhexyl phthalate so you can use whatever you have onhand.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwi5M1nk6fQ
In this video we do something really silly and remove a can from the coke it contains.
To do the demonstration: First get any soft drink can and using sandpaper, sand off the label. Then open the can and suspend it by the tab in 5% hydrochloric acid. The exact concentration is not critical. The can must be opened or it will rupture as the aluminum is removed.
over the course of an hour, the aluminum in the can will be attacked by the acid and dissolve away. This leaves behind the drink and also a very thin plastic liner inside the can. This liner protects the drink from leaching metals out of the can. Carefully lift the can to reveal the liner still holding the drink.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1pB6O6AYMU
In this video we show how to make a dye sensitized solar cell based on titanium dioxide and anthocyanin found in raspberries.
First get some titanium dioxide (anatase structure), about 0.5g will do. Then mix it with drops of vinegar until it has the consistency of thin paint or liquid corrector fluid. Add a drop of dishwashing detergent. This is to make it stick to the glass.
Now get a piece of indium tin oxide glass. The indium tin oxide glass was purchased from delta technologies http://www.delta-technologies.com/
using a multimeter set to measure resistance, find the conductive side by measuring the resistance of the glass. The side that's conductive will have a much lower resistance than the non-conductive side.
Tape the glass on three sides onto a flat surface, conductive side up. there should be able 5mm of tape on each edge. The tape will serve as a spacer guide for the titanium dioxide.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHTbw5jy6qU
I have a very exciting progress report: I've successfully made sodium by the alcohol catalyzed magnesium reduction approach!
After many failures i decided to go to other end of the spectrum and try an experiment constructed under ideal conditions that would have far greater chances of working. While it would be thousands of times more expensive to make sodium this way, it would nonetheless prove or disprove whether it was possible. If it failed, it would show it was impossible or just very hard and thus not worth pursuing with my limited time.
To do it, 10mL of 7-hexyl-7-tridecanol were placed in a flask with 0.5g sodium metal (to jump start the reaction). A reflux condenser was fitted over the flask and the contents heated until the sodium melted and dissolved. 3g of magnesium metal was added and heated for another 30 minutes. 4g of sodium hydroxide was added and heated for three hours. Tiny spheres of sodium formed as alcohol catalyzed the reaction of sodium hydroxide and magnesium metal.
This was a success. And thus proves that we can make sodium this way and thus it's worth to keep trying for cheaper conditions.
Related videos:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4vDwQ4TyIc
Paramagnetic fluid or “parafluid” is a fluid that is attracted to a magnet. It’s weaker than the more famous ferrofluid but is transparent and somewhat easier to make. To make it, a paramagnetic salt like manganese (II) nitrate is dissolved in water until saturated. The solution is paramagnetic and will be attracted to a magnet. But because it’s so weak the attraction is limited. To assist, a density matched suspension of the parafluid in an immiscible carrier fluid is needed. In this video, dichloromethane was used and the correct density for the solution of manganese nitrate and water was found by trial and error.
Chloroform is an even better carrier fluid and in fact is dense enough that it must be diluted with dichloromethane instead of the manganese nitrate solution. I recommend using using chloroform and dichloromethane if you have it. I didn't use it at the time of the video because I didn't have it on hand.
Other paramagnetic salts include manganese (II) chloride, manganese (II) sulfate, gadolinium nitrate, dysprosium nitrate, etc.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUKFaxy-z7s