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Argon: Air Led over Calcium Carbide and Calcium Chloride at 800 °C (Fischer and Ringe, Thorpe 1912)
Air is nearly 1 % argon. Red-hot calcium carbide with a little calcium chloride swallows both the oxygen and the nitrogen; argon, which combines with nothing, passes straight through.
Result: about 11 litres of argon from 7 kg of carbide in two days. It still holds traces of neon, krypton and xenon (0.25 %, mostly neon).
Source: Thorpe, Dictionary of Applied Chemistry vol. 1 (1912), p. 291, after Fischer and Ringe (Ber. 41, 2017). Not given: the vessel, the air volume, and how the water and carbon dioxide are taken out. Picture drawn by Youblob.
Advanced
2 days
Instructions
1
1
Mix the absorbent
Mix the absorbent
Mix calcium carbide (90 %) with calcium chloride (10 %): 7 kg carbide takes about 0.78 kg chloride (our arithmetic). Fill a tube with it. Ours: a porcelain tube in a tube furnace.
Tools needed:
Calcium Carbide
Calcium Chloride
Porcelain Tube
Tube Furnace2
2
Drive off volatile matter
Drive off volatile matter
Heat the mixture under reduced pressure first, to drive off anything volatile.
Tools needed:
Vacuum PumpTube Furnace3
3
Lead air over it at 800 °C
Lead air over it at 800 °C
Hold the mixture at 800 °C and lead air over it slowly. The oxygen and nitrogen are taken up; what comes out is mostly argon. Ours: draw the air through with an aspirator.
Materials for this step:
Atmospheric Air - Earth1 as requiredTools needed:
Pyrometer
AspiratorTube Furnace4
4
Burn the traces over hot copper oxide
Burn the traces over hot copper oxide
Lead the gas over hot copper oxide. It burns any hydrogen, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide.
Tools needed:
Copper OxidePorcelain TubeTube Furnace5
5
Take out water and carbon dioxide
Take out water and carbon dioxide
Remove the water vapour and carbon dioxide. Ours: soda lime for the carbon dioxide, then phosphorus pentoxide for the water.
Tools needed:
Soda Lime (CO2 Absorbent)
Phosphorus Pentoxide
Gas Washing Bottle6
6
Collect the argon
Collect the argon
Collect the gas. Expect about 11 litres in two days from 7 kg of carbide. Ours: over water in gas jars.
Tools needed:
Pneumatic Trough with Gas JarsMaterials
1- 1 as requiredPlaceholder
Tools Required
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