Inorganic Chemistry Latest Topics Chemistry Latest TopicsenCan I make Ammonium Chloride + Water into a Gel? Hello all,

(Sorry if I've posted this in the wrong section)
I have a question for all you clever souls out there!

I'm doing some chemical woodburning, using a mix of ammonium chloride and water, then applying a small amount over a stencil vinyl, peeling it off and then using a heat gun to burn the design into the wood.
I am having a problem with the solution soaking into the grain instantly and therefore bleeding.
I've tried a reverse stencil, spraying varnish then peeling off the stencil and using the solution on the bare areas, but it's still soaking into the grain and blurring the design.

So I'm thinking, how about if I can thicken the solution to a gel like consistency? (Like how you can use a gel wood stain which helps to prevent bleeding with stencils)

Does anyone know what would be the best way to go about this, would gelatin work? Or would some other thickening agent work better?

Any help greatly appreciated!!

Thanks, Becky

115259Sat, 07 Jul 2018 21:20:52 +0000
No, you CAN'T make sodium! frequently get amateur chemists posting here thinking they have found a way to make themselves some sodium, which they see as incredibly exciting because it reacts with water.

Most of these methods involve electrolysis. Let me explain, once and for all why this idea is wrong and foolish:

1) The reduction potential of sodium is very negative. This means that it likes to be Na+ and doesn't like to be Na at all. However, water has a much smaller reduction potential, and will easily be reduced to give hydrogen gas and hydroxide ions. The difference between the reduction potentials is so enormous that you will NEVER make sodium by reducing a sodium salt in water. You do however have a chance of making some chlorine at the other end if you decide to use sodium chloride. If you do this, you'll be making a very toxic gas which will burn your lungs in nasty ways. Be careful!

A side-point to aqueous electrolysis should be bloody obvious to people but it isn't. That is, that if you DID somehow miraculously manage to reduce sodium onto your cathode (perhaps you're Jesus), then it would immediately react with the water to make sodium hydroxide again, spitting and flames inclusive.

2) There is another method for making sodium and at least this one is actually possible. It is the electrolysis of molten sodium chloride. The trouble here is that while this is fairly easy to do on an industrial scale in specially built vessels, it's very difficult to do on a smaller scale, not to mention extremely dangerous. Molten sodium chloride is not pleasant, and it's very difficult to get to those kinds of temperatures. Sodium hydroxide was another suggestion I read on the forums, and while it certainly has a lower melting point, we're talking about a strong base here... do you REALLY want a molten puddle of fuming, spitting sodium hydroxide in front of you? REALLY? No. You don't.

3) Just because you can write and balance an equation it doesn't mean it will happen. The reasons behind what reactions will "go" and what reactions won't are quite detailed and beyond the scope of this thread. However, in general, things which are considered unstable (like sodium) are difficult to make (they require less stable things in the first place, or giant amounts of energy). So, NO, you can't make sodium by doing a simple displacement reaction or a precipitation reaction.

So all-in-all the net result of the above is NO! You CAN'T make sodium!

The above also applies to the other alkali metals

37193Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:28:37 +0000
question about balancing a reaction hi,

I was asked to balance this reaction : 

H3PO4(aq) + KMnO4(aq) + H2SO4(aq) → H3PO4(aq) + MnSO4(aq) + K2SO4(aq) + H2O(l)

can I get some help? why we cant balance this reaction? and what can we say about a reaction that has the same compound as a reagent and a product?


thank you

122682Sat, 25 Jul 2020 19:25:52 +0000
Boric Acid + Copper Sulphate + Water + Heat = any dangerous reactions? Hello! I am a man far from chemistry, and I kind of regret being not very attentive in chem class during my school years. Does combination "Boric Acid (100 ppm) + Copper Sulphate (1 ppm) + Water (about 1000 litres) + Heat" produces any reactions that could harm a human? Thank you in advance!

122643Mon, 20 Jul 2020 20:17:44 +0000
IC Holder pins - gold or just gold plated Hi I


I have some IC holder pins, I know they are gold  due to the colour,  however I am not sure if they  are solid gold or just gold plated.

Does anyone have ideas as to which is more  likely.    I can try and look at a cross sextion but even then lack the expertise to know what to look for.




122425Tue, 23 Jun 2020 07:41:35 +0000
Derivative of Gibbs free Enthalpy Dear community!

I just stumbled upon a strange behavior of the Gibbs free enthalpy when fiddling about with Gibbs Helmholtz equation which I cannot explain. The first formula in the attached file is the one that I've been using all the time, the derivative of G with respect to temperature at constant pressure. The second one just came to my mind when using an alternative derivative. As cp of the reaction is, generally speaking, not equal to zero for reactions with no change in pressure, it seems that these two formulas contradict each other. Surely that cannot be. Anyone got a solution that resolves that contradiction? Thanks in advance.


122379Wed, 17 Jun 2020 16:13:42 +0000
Radial part of polyelectronic atoms Hey, I study Chem. eng in Madrid (Spain), so first of all, my English might be awful, so I apologize. 

I have a doubt about the radial part of polyelectronic atoms (you know, Schrödinger's equation etc). The radial part for Hydrogen is quite simple, but things get difficult when we talk about atoms with more than one electron (due to the shielding effect between electrons). My question is the following: How does the radial part of Schrödinger's equation change for polyelectronic atoms? I know there are a few ways of estimating the new radial part (SCF or STOs) but I don't need that. What I need is how does the graph change. 


For example, here it is represented the 2s orbital of F and Li. How can I know which one is one in this case?

What really bothers me is that I want to know which factors influence the graph and if there is a general rule to know which atom is going to be more diffuse (in this case the blue line) or penetrated (the red line). For example, between two atoms, analyzing the same orbital (for example 2s and 2s, or 3p and 3p etc) the one with the highest Z is the most penetrated, and the one with the lowest Z is the most diffuse (obviously I don't know if this is true hahah, it is an example). You know, something like that so I can answer these type of questions:

Plot the graph of the radial part of S and Cl (1s orbital)

In order to answer this, what I need is to know which one of them is more penetrated.

I don't know if you understand me. Again, sorry, my English is awful... 

Thank you guys, if there's something you don't understand please tell me and I will answer shortly. By the way, feel free to correct me in any grammatical, spelling error please, I really want to boost my level of English!


122361Mon, 15 Jun 2020 21:23:29 +0000
Inversion in DMO (TMO) Hey again. 

Okay so first of all, I don't know if inversion is spanglish, but I have a question about DMO in TMO.

Inversion (at least in Spanish/Spanglish) is when the 2PI(bonding) orbitals have less energy than the 2SIGMA(bonding) orbitals, so they are completed with electrons before the 2SIGMA. I don't know if ' have explained myself, is is quite difficult to translate chemical terminology from English to Spanish. 

This inversion occurs, for example, in B2, C2 and N2 (because the difference in energy between 2s and 2p orbitals is extremely low). 

So hold your nose because here comes the question. Why CO suffers inversion and NO doesn't, I mean, why? Both of them have an atom that, by their own, "get inversed". I don't know if you understand me... 

Thanks btw

122383Wed, 17 Jun 2020 22:06:04 +0000
Moeller's diagram Hey, I study chemical engineering in Madrid (Spain).
Here, teachers do not like Moeller's diagram (my teacher, for example, has forbidden using it, and instead we use the Aufbau principle, which is similar). I don't know if this happens in your countries, but if it does happen, what are the reasons for this happening?
I mean, I don't think there's anything wrong with it.

122368Tue, 16 Jun 2020 14:06:31 +0000
Enthalpy If the change in enthalpy is calculated for a reaction at two different temperatures and pressures, and afterwards compared to another reaction for which the chamge in enthalpy is also calculated at the same pressures and temperatures, will it still be the same reaction that has the highest change in enthalpy?
Thanks :)

122302Mon, 08 Jun 2020 10:55:23 +0000
Cyclic Voltammetry question Hey guys,

So I did an experiment on reversible and irreversible reactions via cyclic Voltammetry. And my results show that Co3+ as Co(diNOsar)]Br3 is a reversible process (Co3+ can be reduced to Co2+ AND oxidised back) and [Co(en)3]I3 is irreversible (Co3+ can be reduced to Co2+ but not oxidised back) (both in pH 1 electrolyte solution). And im not quite sure why? I know it has something to do with lability of the ligands and maybe crystal field splitting. But for the most part Im lost.

Thank you in advance

122258Thu, 04 Jun 2020 10:37:56 +0000
Lithium chloride hygroscopicity I want to use lithium chloride to help me calibrate some humidity sensors in a sealed box. Apparently a saturated solution of lithium chloride can keep air at a humidity of 11.3% at room temperature. My question is, if I had 30 grams of LiCl in a container that wasn't sealed, so it could keep absorbing water from the environment, am I right in thinking it would be able to absorb ~35.6 ml of water? The solubility is 84.3 g/100 ml at 25 °C so I figured 84.3 g / 30 g = 2.81 and 100 ml / 2.81 = 35.6 ml - I want to make sure it can't overfill its container and cause a spill if I can't keep it airtight.

Potassium carbonate has a solubility of 111-138 g/ml at 20 °C, depending who you ask - does that mean it will absorb more water from the air (per unit of mass), provided the humidity is high enough?

I'm also wondering whether I'd need to add any water at all to the LiCl. I plan to check what humidity I get without adding water anyway, but since it's so hygoscopic and meant to be taking water out of the air, it seems counter productive for me to waste some of its capacity by deliberately adding water (I'm 100% certain that the air I will be conditioning will start out much higher than 11%).

Also, when the time comes to regenerate my anhydrous LiCl, can I dry it at a lower temperature if I use a vacuum chamber? I read that you need up to 186 °C to drive off all the water from LiCl and I was hoping I could do it in its polypropylene bottle by just lowering the pressure. 

122220Sat, 30 May 2020 09:55:36 +0000
Doubt about bibliography Hey, I study Chemichal engeneering in Madrid (Spain) and I have a doubt about a book. Do you know if the book Inorganic Chemistry (written by Catherine Housecroft) is the most "advanced" book about Inorganic chemistry (I mean, can I found books much more advanced and more profound, or is the Housecroft valid). I mean, im not going to work as a pure chemist (I think), but I dont want to spend loads of money if I can find better, profound and advanced books (considering that I study Chemical Engeneering and not pure chemistry, obviously).
Thanks guys, and sorry for my English, tell me if there's something you dont understand!

122159Fri, 22 May 2020 21:54:45 +0000
Why is BaCl2 solution becoming cloudy over time? Why BaCl2 solution is becoming cloudy after a few hours/days?

122155Fri, 22 May 2020 12:38:43 +0000
How much N2 in liters in a tank My question is how much N2 is there in an UHPN Tank ? I read it has 230 cu ft. and from a conversion table I saw online it would be 230*24= 5520 liters. Does that sound reasonable?

122063Tue, 12 May 2020 04:13:43 +0000
synthesize zinc citrate - please help hello dear members,
I am trying to make Zinc Hyrdoxide by electrolysis with Sodium bicarbonate and zinc rods in distilled water first and then I want to make zinc citrate by mixing zinc hyrdoxide and citric acid mixed with water.

Can you please tell me if this is correct procedure to make zinc citrate. If yes, then do I need boil the mixture of zinc hydroxide and citric acid to get zinc citrate? My goal is to consume small quantity of zinc citrate because I cant buy it now :(

I tried to google but couldn't find much help on either making zinc hyrdoxide and zinc citrate.

I do not have zinc salt to make zinc hydroxide that way.

You replies are appreciated. Thank you very much.

121779Sat, 11 Apr 2020 00:39:00 +0000





121588Sun, 22 Mar 2020 09:48:42 +0000
Dative bonding Hey, I was looking at the reaction between ammonia (NH₃) and hydrochloric acid (HCl). Apparently from the diagram I saw the hydrogen from HCl would get drawn towards the nitrogen, leaving an electron behind for the chlorine. Why does this happen? Do lone pair electrons have a larger electrostatic force?

P.S forgive me if I've i may of done something wrong, I'm new to this website.

121542Mon, 16 Mar 2020 14:54:23 +0000
1,4 Dioxane? Hello. I am by no means a science expert. Just a really worried mom hoping to get some information from people who know a thing or two about chemistry and perhaps it’s effects on the human body. 

I recently read a report where one of the laundry detergents I have been using for my baby’s clothes contains 10,000 ppb of 1,4 dioxane, which is apparently the maximum amount recommended as considered “safe” in these types of household products. 

Based on the fact that I’ve been using it since my child was born, I’m nervous that this is a significant amount for a child. I know it can be absorbed via skin or inhalation amongst other ways. 

Does anyone know how much would actually be absorbed? Is my child actually at risk for increased chance of cancer? I’ve obviously since switched detergents but used it for just over a year with her. I used it before as well, during pregnancy and beyond. 

I should note that I would rinse clothes in the washer twice. Does this help “dilute” the amount of dioxane one could be exposed to? Does it evaporate and dissipate when clothes are dried?

Again, I know so little so I ask. My questions might seem crazy. I’m a new parent and this has really freaked me out. I don’t want to put my child at an increased risk of something serious health wise because of a darned laundry detergent. I know dioxane is something we see exposed to daily, but at this time I am just referring to the laundry detergent. 

Any insight would be great to put things into perspective for a worried mom. Thanks a lot!

121622Thu, 26 Mar 2020 17:46:21 +0000
H3PO4 as a non-oxidazing acid Hello guys, why is H3PO4 non oxidizing, even tho the P is at its max oxidation state and can get reduced?

121552Wed, 18 Mar 2020 12:58:43 +0000
Mould in silicone turning from white to brown after being bleached Recently I finally decided to rid my silicone/steel trivet of the mould that had been building up over the years through normal kitchen use after being left rolled up when not in use (a design feature).

Submerging it in bleach for 24 hours the majority of the dense mould colonies succumbed to the bleach and disappeared: changing from black to white (or a lighter shade of the green silicone).

After submerging them for 12 hours in a bicarbonate of soda bath to attempt to rid the silicone of the bleach odour, to no avail, I heated the silicone in an oven for 15mins at 120ºC (twice) in order to attempt to bring the oils (odour) to the surface of the silicone to be washed away. I didn't have too much luck with this and the baking process released a fairly acrid smell into my room so I didn't persist, but did have some success.

However, now the white areas (where the mould once was) have turned brown, why is this?



121457Thu, 05 Mar 2020 22:24:25 +0000
<![CDATA[Dalton's Particulate view of matter VS Plato & Aristotle's Elementalism]]> This is a topic that I've been thinking about, but before I ask my question, I just want to give some background info.:

In 1804, John Dalton published his law of multiple proportions, which states:  When two elements (call them A and B) form two different compounds the masses of element B that combine with 1 gram of element A can be expressed as a ratio of small whole numbers.
So, carbon monoxide, CO, has a ratio of 1.33 when we divide the mass of Oxygen with 1 gram of Carbon (Carbon equalling 12.01 g or 12.01 amu in 1g of Carbon).
And, carbon dioxide, CO2 has a ratio of 2.66 when we divide the mass of Oxygen with 1 gram of Carbon (again, Carbon equalling 12.01 g or 12.01 amu in 1g of Carbon).
The ratio of these two...ratios?...will give a small, whole number: 2.66 / 1.33 = 2 

Dalton was able to overcome a 2000-year-old perspective (elementalism) and push his view that matter is particulate instead of elemental by using the weights of samples of matter, and by demonstrating that matter pairs up in ratios.

Elementalism implies that, basically, matter of one nature or type is different than that of, think: air, fire, water, earth... That sort of thing (not really sure how to explain it).


My thinking is this... carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are two different gases. From an elemental perspective, they are different in nature (one is more poisonous than the other), though they are both gases. And, even though they are different than each other, they are still gases...and they are still of an "air" element or type.

So, here is the question... Why is it that comparing 1g of an element to another unknown amount, is a determinant for whether or not matter is particulate in nature instead of elemental? 
I mean, if you take 1g of whatever, and then keep adding more and more of another type of whatever, won't it be just a whole lot of whatevers trying to bond with each other?

What if you take 1g Carbon and then oversaturate it with Oxygen? Different types of gases will form, won't they? If different types of gases continue to form, how is that not indicative of the elemental view of matter?


The way I see it...Dalton just published a paper about how elements combine in ratios, and that that is more than enough proof that matter is particulate instead of elemental. But, the way I see it, we're just observing different kinds of matter in the sense that, when we look at gases we're observing some different type of gas but of an air element, or when we look at minerals or salts or metals we're just looking at different earth-like elements... 

And I really don't understand the significance of ratios here. I mean, how does a ratio prove something like the nature of a substance, and furthermore, how does it prove that matter is not elemental?

121511Fri, 13 Mar 2020 01:44:52 +0000
what chemicals can make bricks denser and tough Hi friends, I'm trying new ways to make bricks more strong by chemicals,

I bought some calcium hydroxide and dipped it in crushed bricks and inside the bricks calcium carbonates formed after couple of weeks, I tested it with compression test and the strength had increased slightly.

I have basic knowledge about chemistry, but I don't stop testing chemicals. I don't know any other chemicals that would soak into the bricks and make it stronger. I don't make bricks, so I can't add something to the bricks before it's made. So, what I will do is, crush the brick and add some chemicals and test the compressive strength of it. I want to find some other chemicals that would do the trick. Are there any chemicals that can be treated with some other chemical so it gets hard inside the brick etc. Please give some chemicals so that I can test with.

121472Sun, 08 Mar 2020 03:50:06 +0000
Hypochlorous acid synthesis Hello !

Is it possible to produce hypochlorous acid by reacting chlorine gas with water ?

Cl2 + 2H2O --> 2HOCl + H2

If it is, is there special conditions for the reaction to occure ? And if it is not, is there another way to make hypochlorous acid ?


121423Sat, 29 Feb 2020 23:01:57 +0000
Few Questions About Cerium. I collect chemical elements.

And recently received my sample of Cerium.


It is still sealed in its vacuum plastic bag.


This is my first lanthanide sample and I chose Ce because it was the cheapest I could find. Bought a 100g bar from eBay.


- Can I remove it from its packaging and handle it as any other metal?

- Can I keep it exposed in open air as all my other samples? (I don't care about tarnishing).


Unfortunately I don't have any airtight places or mineral oil to store it 😕





121107Thu, 23 Jan 2020 22:14:03 +0000