A) what is the ratios of the acid, the alc.? was the alcohol everclear and the acid "drain opener"?
>>the acid is concentrated H_2 SO_4 (98% i believe, NOT drano) and the alcohol is ethanol 95% (NOT everclear).
B) what was the method of distillation, and why is it thought to have failed?
>> swim's method of distillation was as follows: take 50 mL of ethanol, put it in a 500 mL RBF, add 150 mL of conc. sulfuric via addition funnel, then bring it up to ~135 degrees centigrade. hold it here and add ethanol to the mixture at the rate it is condensing. this went wrong b/c swim didn't have enough condensing power to condense all the ether that formed, thus the configuration had to be shutdown (lots of ether vapors = hella explosive). the contents (a dark brown-black mixture of ethanol and sulfuric acid) were then stored. a number of other unsuccessful variations on this occurred until it was done successfully, so there's extra waste lying around (to the tune of 2L).
C) Where are the jars stored, any light or sun hitt them at all? ANY ventilation, and how full are the containers also
how long have they been languishing there?
>> they're stored in a metal cabinet, so they do not regularly get hit by any light. however, the temperature control is somewhat poor, and this concerns me. if you read the above post, it says that there are 2 1L apothecary jars, each with approximately 1L in each (i.e. they're full, with only ~200 mL air space in each). it's also stated in the first post that they've been there for ~2 months.
D) Is the white solid on the outside, inside, or both?
>> it's on the inside, underneath the top to the apothecary jars. it's a white crustiness and it's creeping into the seal that the tops make with the jar (ground glass).
E Was the solution added while hot and then the cap/top put on?
>> no, it was allowed to cool to room temperature before storage.
F) Anything in those jars before you put the failed project solution in?
>> the jars were empty before any of this failed result went into them.
give details and accurate ones at that, so that you give a better picture of the situation.
the big concern would be a notable drop in the level of solution with the white precipitate forming afterwards.
>> i haven't noticed a drop, so i'd imagine that would mean that not very much ether (or whatever) could have evaporated and formed peroxides. the downside is that i hadn't marked the sides of the containers after pouring, so i'm not certain. i guess that'll teach me to mark fluid levels on sides of containers, it's a damn good way to determine if things have been evaporating.
thx x
