Chemical Forums

Specialty Chemistry Forums => Materials and Nanochemistry forum => Topic started by: WinnieP on August 15, 2016, 04:36:45 PM

Title: Sulfur-like floating powder
Post by: WinnieP on August 15, 2016, 04:36:45 PM

Hello there!
I've been playing around with sulfur powder and water. The sulfur is insoluble and floats on water. If you add enough, you can completely cover a small water surface. You can then coat an object with sulfur a bit like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X86uAWWZHi0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X86uAWWZHi0).

I want to play around with this more, but sulfur is a bit expensive to just test out the coating process on different objects. Does anyone know of any cheap, accessible material that has similar properties (floats on water, insoluble, powdery)?

Thanks!

Title: Re: Sulfur-like floating powder
Post by: AWK on August 15, 2016, 05:07:24 PM

Flowers of sulfur is rather cheap chemical, though apothecary one is a very high purity, and may be expensive.

Title: Re: Sulfur-like floating powder
Post by: kamiyu on August 15, 2016, 05:12:55 PM

Charcoal.

(Not sure if this counts)

Title: Re: Sulfur-like floating powder
Post by: Enthalpy on August 16, 2016, 04:52:58 AM

Microballoons. Available at hobbyist shops.

Fine wood dust, as produced by sanding.

Graphite powder sold as lubricant. MoS₂ lubricating powder too, but a big proportion sinks directly.

Flour.

Title: Re: Sulfur-like floating powder
Post by: WinnieP on September 02, 2016, 05:13:34 PM

Thanks everyone, will test it out soon :)