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Chasney913
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Joined: 28 Aug 2007
Posts: 117
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 Posted: 15 Sep 2008 05:56:55 pm Post subject: |
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I'm attempting to synthesize a quantity of magnetite for a school lab. However, my reaction isn't working, and I've tried it a couple times, so I'd like to see if anyone knows what to do.
I following a guide of the internet, which involves using the magnetite in a ferrifluid. I'd like to have it in a solid form, so I can show the magnetic properties directly. Plus, the ferrifluid involves using kerosene, something which we don't have at the school.
I'm using the following reaction:
FeCl2 (aq) + 2FeCl3 (aq) + 8NaOH → Fe3O4 (aq) + 8NaCl (aq) + 4H2O
I measure out the quantities of the iron(ii) chloride, iron(iii) chloride and sodium hydroxide. I put the iron compounds in solution, and mix well. I add the NaOH, and immediately a black precipitate is formed, which is what I'm looking for. However, I can't seemed to extract the magnetite. I've tried attracting it to the bottom of the beaker with a powerful magnet, but it seems that if I leave it too long it breaks down and isn't magnetic anymore, but I need to let it settle to the bottom of the container, because otherwise it won't be near enough to the magnet to be attracted to it.
The only thing I can think of is that the FeCl2 isn't reacting correctly, because it doesn't seem to dissolve very well. However, the precipitate is still formed. I'm not really sure what to do.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. |
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alexrudd
pm me if you read this
Bandwidth Hog
Joined: 06 Oct 2004
Posts: 2335
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| Posted: 15 Sep 2008 08:07:39 pm Post subject: |
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| What happens if you cool it? |
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Chasney913
Member
Joined: 28 Aug 2007
Posts: 117
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| Posted: 15 Sep 2008 08:13:57 pm Post subject: |
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| How do you mean? Like, let it sit? Or put it in a fridge? |
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DigiTan
Unregistered HyperCam 2
Super Elite (Last Title)
Joined: 10 Nov 2003
Posts: 4468
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| Posted: 22 Sep 2008 07:09:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Can you add an oxidizer like H2O2? Maybe one of the reagents has been reducing the Fe ions before you can get a good amount of magnetite. Just a guess though. |
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Chasney913
Member
Joined: 28 Aug 2007
Posts: 117
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| Posted: 23 Sep 2008 08:00:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Well, I think (but I'm not sure) I've made some. I looked at the beaker I was using with all the brown precipitate, and it seems like a small amount of black is at the bottom. I guess the magnet attracted it, and then the brown settled on it, so it wasn't exposed to a lot of water. I don't think light was a factor, but it was in a dark place this time. I'm going to try and separate the black from the brown sometime, I just have to go borrow that magnet again. Hopefully it works. I was trying to make 10 grams, so it'll be interesting to see how close I get. |
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