Chemical Forums
Specialty Chemistry Forums => Citizen Chemist => Topic started by: tuxxman on June 04, 2006, 11:04:43 PM
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I am going to be working on a science project during the last few weeks of school, and I need Iodine crystals to do it.
I've read about electrolysis, but im not exactly sure how i could refine iodine out of something with that method.
I am able to buy it, but i dont have access to chemical suppliers, only local stores / shops so if theres something that is sold in most drug / hardware stores that contains almost all iodine, that would work as well.
I just need it by next week...so i figured i'd ask here.
:) thanks
-zach
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Can't you get iodine from the pharmacy? Iodine is used for disinfection and arrest bleeding.
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The pharmacies in my area don't sell iodine crystals either. Since it's an ingredient in the synthesis of meth they don't make it easy to get a hold of. Instead I buy the small bottles of iodine tincture and then you can extract it from there.
Here is a procedure I followed when I extracted iodine the first time.
http://www.sci-spot.com/Chemistry/iodine.htm
However, I couldn't get the crystals to precipitate when I added sodium hypochlorite. When I repeated the procedure I used Hydrogen Peroxide, (3% bottle from the pharmacy). Worked beautifully. The first time I used 6M HCL from the labs, but then I ran out of acid and for the second time I had ended up using 33% Muriatic acid (masonry cleaning supply, available at hardware stores) which is essentially the same thing. Here is another link from the forums where the extraction has been discussed
http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=7138.0
Best of luck to you.
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Pure iodine is considered a poison in the European Pharmacopoeia (and maybe even in the American one). Thus, at least in Italy, you can't buy it in a pharmacy.
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Thanks for the link, i will be going out later to buy materials.
One thing first...what should i use to store the unused crystals?
The link said not to use plastic as iodine will sublimate and leak out...and i dont want that.
Thanks
-the tuxxman
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I think you should use a dark glass bottle.
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I think you should use a dark glass bottle.
Yes, use glass. I've used clear glass, but I do keep the bottles away from sunlight. The iodine will really try to make its way through the cap, btw. It is quite hard to keep it from seeping out.
I have found pure iodine in camping/backpacking stores in USA, as 'Polar Pure', used for disinfecting water sources in the backcountry. Whole Earth Provision Co, here in Austin, carries it. (They keep it behind the counter nowadays, due to its illicit use.)
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I have mine in a glass container with a plastic screw top. Quite secure and I've not yet had any problems with it leaking out...or at least i don't think so. At any rate, it's worked well enough for me. If you don't mind me asking, what is this science project at the end of the year that requires iodine?
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someone brought up the topic of those little play-fireworks that you throw to the ground and we're trying to make them, and since we're not doing anything anymore because we're done with finals....my teacher said we could.
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Why you don't buy directly?
There are suppliers of chemical products for research where you can order on-line:
http://www.reagents4research.com
Regards.
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Those little play fireworks are not nitrogen triiodide, which is the chemical that you're thinking of making when you say you want iodine. The little snap-fireworks are actually miniscule amounts of a very sensitive high explosive, the details of which I won't go into here, as the material is extremely dangerous.
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By all means try to make your own iodine. Assuming you have the experience and knowledge on how to do so safely. Iodine has become one of those things.. It easily raises eye brows, and Ive been told by other chemists who wanted to buy some, that there is paper work, and you go on this nice list of suspicious people the government keeps track of.
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Just use the KI HCl H2O2 method?