Chemical Forums

Specialty Chemistry Forums => Materials and Nanochemistry forum => Topic started by: markhammond77 on July 02, 2008, 10:21:57 AM

Title: Lead to Liquid
Post by: markhammond77 on July 02, 2008, 10:21:57 AM
Hey  so what exactly should I do if I want to turn pencil lead to liquid and keep it in liquid form?

Thanks a lot,
Mark
Title: Re: Lead to Liquid
Post by: DrCMS on July 02, 2008, 10:45:03 AM
Heat it to ~4500°C in an inert atmosphere and then keep it at that temperature.
Title: Re: Lead to Liquid
Post by: markhammond77 on July 02, 2008, 05:42:07 PM
Ok, is that the only way to keep it liquid or can I add some kind of chemical?
Title: Re: Lead to Liquid
Post by: enahs on July 02, 2008, 06:12:34 PM
Just to point out.

Pencil lead is graphite. It is not the metal lead.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphite
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead
Title: Re: Lead to Liquid
Post by: vmelkon on October 30, 2008, 11:25:39 AM
The pencil stuff is not really pure graphite. It is a mixture of clay and graphite with various degrees. Art stores sell the full range of hardness. The very black one might be pure graphite.

I have heated a HB pencil lead with electricity to something like 2000C and bent it. I did it in 1 seconds. Of course, it loses some weight as it combines with oxygen :)
Title: Re: Lead to Liquid
Post by: Arkcon on October 31, 2008, 02:04:32 PM
Quote from: markhammond77 on July 02, 2008, 05:42:07 PM
Ok, is that the only way to keep it liquid or can I add some kind of chemical?

This is a common enough noob question on this board.  Granted, colligative properties do note that dissolving something in something else produces a freezing point elevation -- the common example, melting ice by adding common salt.  Now, DrCMS: took the time to post the melting point of graphite, ~4500 C, and you're looking for a simple chemical addition, to presumably, completely rewrite the laws of physics, and keep it in a tea kettle, or something.  And I'd like to go on record, for you and just about anyone else, that you shouldn't have expected that was likely, even if your particular expertise on the subject is not fully developed yet.