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Seperating graphite and KCIO3

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frog

Fri Mar 19 2010, 09:54AM

Registered Member #2400 Joined: Mon Sept 28 2009, 10:04AM
Location: Bundaberg, Australia
Posts: 18

Would it be possible to seperate fine graphite particles in a potassium chlorate solution using detergent? Would the graphite be attracted to the bubbles which could then be skimmed off? Or would filtering the solution be the easiest way.

radiotech

Sat Mar 20 2010, 05:55AM

Registered Member #2463 Joined: Wed Nov 11 2009, 03:49AM
Location:
Posts: 1546

Would the dried KClO3 and the graphite not present an unstable
ignitable mixture in the filter ?

frog

Sat Mar 20 2010, 09:24AM

Registered Member #2400 Joined: Mon Sept 28 2009, 10:04AM
Location: Bundaberg, Australia
Posts: 18

I certainly hope not. I allways filter the solution hot so only graphite is collected in the filter. Filtering is a long and slow process so I was wondering what other options were available aside from using platinum electrodes.

IntraWinding

Sat Mar 20 2010, 12:56PM

Registered Member #2261 Joined: Mon Aug 03 2009, 01:19AM
Location: London, UK
Posts: 581

Filtering can get slow if the paper gets clogged. Try filtering through large pore paper followed by finer pore paper. The first should be fast because of the large pores, but get most of the gunk out. The second removes the last traces of gunk and is fast because there isn't too much left to clog it. For large pore paper you could try a coffee filter paper.
You might like to experiment with using cotton materials as filters too. Medical Absorbent Lint is handy. You can control its filtering effect by how hard you jam a ball of it down the funnel neck or just use a single layer for rough filtering.
Finally, a larger funnel and paper needs less supervision of course!

frog

Sun Mar 21 2010, 01:43AM

Registered Member #2400 Joined: Mon Sept 28 2009, 10:04AM
Location: Bundaberg, Australia
Posts: 18

Ok thanks I think i'll try filtering it using some larger filters.

MinorityCarrier

Sun Mar 21 2010, 06:48AM

Registered Member #2123 Joined: Sat May 16 2009, 03:10AM
Location: Bend, Oregon
Posts: 312

Finely divided graphite mixed with KClO3, when dry = fire/explosion hazard.

frog

Sun Mar 21 2010, 07:28AM

Registered Member #2400 Joined: Mon Sept 28 2009, 10:04AM
Location: Bundaberg, Australia
Posts: 18

In that case i'll get rid of my KCIO3 stock, its coloured grey from the graphite particles. Unless anyone's got an idea on how to seperate them?

quicksilver

Mon Mar 22 2010, 06:45PM

Registered Member #1408 Joined: Fri Mar 21 2008, 03:49PM
Location: Oracle, AZ
Posts: 679

I have done quite a bit of this as I have been using a 5 gal bucket / sealed top as a cell. I have also found a method to eliminate the graphite to an enormous degree.

1.) First you must decant several times. If you are rushing your decanting of the material you will never start to get a good product!

2.) Do not let the newer water settle. GENTLY get more water into your cell and decant it out: go slowly.

3.) Do NOT stir the newly formed chlorate but allow it to stay on the bottom of the cell (very important)! Let swirling water pick the particulates up and decant several times.

4.) Manage your ph !! A ph of 7-6.5 is what you want. High chlorine will break down your graphite to a messy sludge! Get that Cl OUT of there!

5.) RE-CRYSTALLIZE your chlorate! If you are NOT doing this you will never get white chlorate. (water should be at or near a rolling boil for total solution of chlorate - then re-filter). White crystals will appear IF you move from a hot water solution to a COLD surround (refrigerate for excellent re-crystallization). Make the solution snap from HOT to COLD - FAST.

6.) TREAT YOUR GRAPHITE prior to use! If you are using gouging rods or not - allow graphite to sit in 2-5% HNO3 to dissolve any iron or copper prior to final treatment - allow to dry and rub with linseed oil. This & a neutral ph will keep those graphite anodes / cathode from falling apart to any large degree.

You do NOT have to throw out the chlorate. If at first when you preform these techniques, you still have an off white (beige) coloration, you had a bit too much press bonding glue in the water & that had color that stained the chlorate. One more re-crystallization will yield a water white, window pane crystal that should be reagent pure. These concepts are in no order of importance, but not to do all 6 & use graphite is to set yourself up to always have a mess. YOU CAN get great product with the correct techniques. A staining of the chlorate is NOT an indication of foreign material (a dangerous situation) - Staining may occur by the bonding glue coloration in forming the compressed graphite. Staining may occur from the FILTER PAPER & be harmless as most inks of food color. There are tests to determine purity. You can easily have white chlorate that has serious contamination as beige chlorate that is technical grade & safe!

Russell Haley

Tue Apr 06 2010, 04:41AM

Registered Member #2478 Joined: Mon Nov 23 2009, 03:24AM
Location: Texas A&M University
Posts: 47

Just heat it and let the CO2 gas off?

frog

Tue Apr 06 2010, 06:16AM

Registered Member #2400 Joined: Mon Sept 28 2009, 10:04AM
Location: Bundaberg, Australia
Posts: 18

Would that destroy the potassium chlorate because it is using its oxygen? Also I dont think heating a contaminated source of potassium chlorate would be a good idea.

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