Chemical Forums
Chemistry Forums for Students => Inorganic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: zilalti on January 12, 2006, 05:34:22 PM
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I'm currently trying to obtain iron oxide (Fe2o3) by electrolysis of iron in a NaCl solution, but i'm slightly skeptical on what ive actually obtained.
Heres how I'm doing it....
First of all I connected a 9v battery to crocadile clips and placed them in the solution and identified the cathode as it was bubbling a great deal more than the other. To this I attached a carbon rod and to the other an iron nail.
I left this for a few hours and when I looked at it a minute ago there was a viscous dark brown/green precipitate floating on top. At the bottom and covering the nail, a layer of black precipitate has formed. I would imagine that the bottom layer is due to the decomposition of the carbon rod but I havn't a clue what the top layer is?
Is it possible that I have formed the other oxide of iron, magnetite or could it be a mix of iron oxide and carbon, maybe copper?
Any one know whats going on?
Also I thought i'd experiment by with heating the iron with bleach which has been relatively effective, but I was wondering, apart from iron oxide what is the other product of the redox reaction?
Help would be much appreciated