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Topic: Is this still Sodium Acetate?  (Read 3686 times)

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Offline nousername

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Is this still Sodium Acetate?
« on: February 18, 2012, 01:54:42 PM »
So instead of using regular vinegar i used apple cider vinegar. 5%.

2 tblspoons ACV
1 tblspoon Sodium Bicarbonate

After reaction was done i placed in microwave and this is what i got. A brown flakey substance.

I dont know anything about this but i assume its just brown due to the color of the vinegar. Thanks for replys!


Offline Arkcon

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Re: Is this still Sodium Acetate?
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2012, 02:03:45 PM »
The brown color may be due to colored contaminates in the cider vinegar.  Excessive heating can also char organic materials, especially if there's little water present to carry heat away.  But yes, most of the solid is sodium acetate.  You can get a purer product if you start with distilled white vinegar.  Avoid drying things in the household microwave -- there's really nowhere for the water vapor to go, and excessive heating can damage the plastic parts of the microwave's chamber.
Hey, I'm not judging.  I just like to shoot straight.  I'm a man of science.

Offline nousername

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Re: Is this still Sodium Acetate?
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2012, 02:06:15 PM »
Thank you sir :) I would have used White vinegar but i did not feel like running to the store.

Offline Wastrel

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Re: Is this still Sodium Acetate?
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2012, 07:34:58 AM »
That seems like a lot of bicarbonate and quite a small amount of acid.   It would probably be best to drip in acid until the fizzing stops to get the right ratio.

Given some random Google suggestions for the volume amounts I'd have thought it closer to 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate to 4 tablespoons of 5% ACV.  That's a guess though, the fizzing should tell you for sure.

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