The Vespiary

The Hive => Chemistry Discourse => Topic started by: sYnThOmAtIc on May 01, 2003, 03:43:00 AM

Title: OTC Mercury! Mercurochrome for al/hg!
Post by: sYnThOmAtIc on May 01, 2003, 03:43:00 AM: Hey I have never seen this chemical refered to on this site and I did a search for it an no draws..

It is called mercurochrome (merbromin). It is an antiseptic in a 1oz bottle 2% tincture in water. It costs .98cents with tax..

I added 1/4 the bottle ina shot glass with some shredded aluminum foil and let it sit a minute. And a minute or two later and viola a very vigorous reaction began. All al pieces are floating now and is bubbling strong.....

It has reacted quicker than Hgcl2 ever dreamt of. I'll post a video clip or some pictrues tomorrow through my yahoo briefcase..

Rhodium or anybody else with good chemicla knowledge.. This can be used right? It is doing everything it should! Just don't know if the Br will affect things. but I would asume not since mercuric iodide works as well. And such a small amount wouldn't hurt anything....

This could be cool. Absolutely no prep work or chems to extract or order... It is everywhere I have looked for it lately after noticing it... Anybody car to try using this in an Al/hg and see how the outcome is. Man it sure is bubbling away though...
Title: Impurities
Post by: Aurelius on May 01, 2003, 01:51:00 PM: I'm interested in seeing the results of this one. the solution is even safe to handle until it reacts !
Title: stupid question...
Post by: hypo on May 01, 2003, 02:07:00 PM: what is the pH of the solution?
(remember: strong bases eat aluminium...)

(yikes, i wouldn't use _that_ as antiseptic...)
Title: merbromin
Post by: racemic on May 01, 2003, 02:23:00 PM: Mercurochrome is a solution of merbromin which is a dibromoflourescin mercury hydroxide compound. It has a pH of 8.8 in 0.5% solution. Edit: So I'd bet that the pH of his 2% soln was 9.4, is that strong enough to etch aluminum?

This information courtesy of the Merck Index #5914
Title: humm...
Post by: hypo on May 01, 2003, 02:34:00 PM: alright, i think that would mean that a 2% solution has
a pH of about 9.4. probably not enough to eat Al. 'twas
just an idea...
Title: I remember that from when I was a kid, my...
Post by: foxy2 on May 04, 2003, 06:28:00 PM: I remember that from when I was a kid, my grandparents had a bottle and I would put it on my cuts. :o I thought of it once(as Hg source) and looked at the pharmacy but they didn't have it and I assumed it had been banned. I guess not. :o