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Calcium: Anhydrous Calcium Iodide Reduced with Sodium in a Screwed Iron Crucible (Moissan, Thorpe 1912)
Sodium takes the iodine from calcium iodide in a sealed iron pot. The freed calcium dissolves in the extra sodium while hot and crystallises out as it cools; alcohol then eats the sodium away.
Result: brilliant white crystals of calcium, 98.9–99.2 % pure.
Source: Thorpe, Dictionary of Applied Chemistry vol. 1 (1912), pp. 598-599, after Moissan (Ann. Chim. Phys. [7] 18, 289). Not given: yield. Picture drawn by Youblob.
Advanced
1 day
Instructions
1
1
Charge the iron crucible
Charge the iron crucible
In an iron crucible of about 1 litre, put 600 g of coarsely crushed anhydrous calcium iodide with 240 g of sodium in pieces as large as nuts. Close it with a screw lid.
Materials for this step:
Calcium Iodide600 gramTools needed:
Sodium
Iron Crucible
Stone Mortar and Pestle2
2
One hour at dull red
One hour at dull red
Keep the crucible at dull-red heat for 1 hour, then let it cool. The calcium dissolves in the excess sodium while red hot and separates out as the melt sets.
Tools needed:
Muffle Furnace
Crucible Tongs3
3
Cut up the metal
Cut up the metal
Cut the metallic part of the melt into medium-sized pieces. Ours: a hacksaw.
Tools needed:
Hacksaw4
4
Dissolve the sodium in absolute alcohol
Dissolve the sodium in absolute alcohol
Drop the pieces a few at a time into absolute alcohol. The sodium dissolves and leaves the calcium as brilliant white crystals.
Tools needed:
Absolute Alcohol
Glass BeakerMaterials
1- 600 gramPlaceholder
Tools Required
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