Australia's Science Forum

Posted: **18 Oct 2018, 10:30**

Hi everyone,

Now that nitrogen dioxide & dinitrogen tetroxide is now specified in the NSW chemistry syllabus in the equilibrium section, How is everyone doing it? We used to use nitric acid and copper wire in a fume hood but haven't done it in a few years. I've also read it can be made by heating lead nitrate but i've never had much luck with bunsen burners in the fume hood. I guess youtube is always an option.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Screen Shot 2018-10-18 at 11.10.32 am.png

Posted: **18 Oct 2018, 11:46**

We're using Iron(III) nitrate and Potassium thiocyanate

Posted: **18 Oct 2018, 12:27**

I'm lucky in that there are 2 large glass sealed tubes of NO2 that someone made over 20 years ago when it was last in the syllabus.

Posted: **18 Oct 2018, 16:52**

fibreweb wrote: ↑18 Oct 2018, 12:27 I'm lucky in that there are 2 large glass sealed tubes of NO2 that someone made over 20 years ago when it was last in the syllabus.

Same here fibreweb
Ours definitely look professionally made . I asked my off-sider where they come from . He said they were here when he started 25 years ago .

If they are back in the syllabus then there's a good chance one of the suppliers will start selling them again .

Having said that , I had to make some when I was casual at another school last year . I also had to google it and dropped copper into Conc Nitric acid in a fume hood . within seconds a dark brown gas starts to form and the trick is to collect it in a test Tube and cork it quick all in the fume hood as this stuff is nasty .

From Memory I used a large Side arm test tube with a tube running into a collection test tube . The gas will basically fall into the collection tube , when it looks like it has a nice amount of brown gas in it , cork it quick .

Now I stuffed up when I tried it and forgot to have a cork ready for the side arm test tube . I just stuck my thumb over the end while it filled the collection tube . When I removed my thumb it was brown and leathery

....it eventually turned white and my thumb didn't drop off

.

So plan it carefully , wear gloves

......do a dry run first to make sure you have everything ready .

Incidentally it works really well , Heating the tube of gas in a beaker of hot water it goes clear , cooling it in a beaker of ice water , it goes really dark

But the cork will be stuffed by the end of the day , Nitrogen Dioxide is quite nasty stuff .

I was wondering whats the procedure if you accidentally drop one of these tubes in the class and the gas escapes

Posted: **19 Oct 2018, 09:55**

Hi all,
I got 1 pair of NO2/N2O4 tubes for equilibrium from a place in WA. In 2014 they cost $134 + freight. The tubes are about 14cm long.

Am I allowed to post the company's information for this specialist item? Or I can pm the info to anyone interested.

Posted: **19 Oct 2018, 10:08**

Loopy the rules at the moment are not up, so my guess would be PM them. Westlab want would you suggest?

Posted: **23 Oct 2019, 08:58**

Re: nitrogen dioxide & dinitrogen tetroxide

Post by Loopy » Fri Oct 19, 2018 9:55 am
Hi all,
I got 1 pair of NO2/N2O4 tubes for equilibrium from a place in WA. In 2014 they cost $134 + freight. The tubes are about 14cm long.

Am I allowed to post the company's information for this specialist item? Or I can pm the info to anyone interested.
Lou P.
Learner Lab Technician
Wagga Wagga
NSW
Hi Lou,
I wonder if you could PM me the details and address of the supplier?
CheersLiz Brown

Posted: **23 Oct 2019, 09:17**

Loopy wrote: ↑19 Oct 2018, 09:55 Hi all,
I got 1 pair of NO2/N2O4 tubes for equilibrium from a place in WA. In 2014 they cost $134 + freight. The tubes are about 14cm long.

Am I allowed to post the company's information for this specialist item? Or I can pm the info to anyone interested.

Yes please!

Posted: **23 Oct 2019, 10:25**

Hi Loopy, Could you please PM me the details of the supplier.
Thanks
Kathryn
kjones@cedars.nsw.edu.au

Posted: **23 Oct 2019, 13:40**

Me too please! maria.caira@ccgs.nsw.edu.au MariaQ

Posted: **25 Oct 2019, 06:34**

And me too, please!
carol.howes@det.nsw.edu.au

Posted: **29 Oct 2019, 09:40**

Hi Loopy, Ive tried googling to buy these tubes with no luck, did you manage to find the supplier you purchased from? Thanks for any help. Regards MariaQ

Posted: **04 Nov 2019, 08:11**

It seems my contact/supplier is no more.

The information I had was Allirra Glassblowing P/L, 41 Weston St, Navel Base . WA 6165. Ph: (08) 94371909.

Sorry for that...

Posted: **07 Nov 2019, 08:43**

Thanks Loopy, I looked them up and they are permanently closed

MariaQ

Posted: **20 Nov 2019, 07:54**

I just generate my own NO2 / N2O4 and seal into flasks for equilibrium demonstrations