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Barium Nitrate purity test ?


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Posted

Hi guys. 
 

as the title says I’m looking for a way to test my Barium. I’ve followed some instructions from here on the vinegar route and also making my own HCL and that route. 
 

how can I be sure what I have is what I want and also is it ok to heat up the mixtures to speed up the evaporation process? 

Posted

I think a flame test would be a quick enough test that should give a good idea if it is suitable for green compositions. 

Posted

I'm not clear on what the vinegar route us, could you explain some more on that one, I'm actually curious about it.

I'd second the simple flame test as a quick / easy method to get an idea on purity. 

I've used nichrome wire. real chemists use platinum wire I believe. Just clean your wire with alcohol or acetone, dip wire in the chemical and use a torch flame to observe color purity.  

 

Posted (edited)

I think, chemical tests aside, i third the idea that flame colour upon burning will give you a good indication.  If you have a nice green that you are happy with then your good.

Otherwise, you could recrystallise from very hot water as the solubility increases quite well with temperature it seems.  

I am not sure 100% if this would remove all sulfates or contaminants completely but it would improve the purity no doubt.

Edited by greenlight
Posted
4 hours ago, cmjlab said:

I'm not clear on what the vinegar route us, could you explain some more on that one, I'm actually curious about it.

 

From source- 

BaO4C4H6 + 2KNO3 --> Ba(NO3)2 + 2KO2C2H3

Therefore one needs 255g of barium acetate and 202 g of potassium nitrate to start with, giving a final yield of 196g of barium nitrate. Since crystallising out the barium acetate is unnecessary, it is simpler just to weigh out the barium carbonate, then react it with sufficient vinegar (add until reaction ceases, then add a little more barium carbonate to neutralise excess), and mix this solution with the potassium nitrate solution. When doing this, for every 202g of potassium nitrate, you should start with 197g of barium carbonate (which will react to give 255g of barium acetate). Using typical distilled vinegar, just less than two litres was required to react with barium carbonate

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