[Contusion]

Hey guys,

I am about to add to my element collection with a 10g ingot of Gallium, I'm just wondering about how I should go about storing it. A glass vial is obviously, out of the picture, due to Gallium expanding when it freezes, sometimes shattering the glass.

Would a plastic container be suitable for containing the Gallium? Or would that crack when the Gallium freezes?

 

[hmx9123]

I have never seen gallium crack anything when it freezes, but if you put in in glass, it will 'melt' to the glass as it fits into the interstitial holes and you'll never get it out again.  Use plastic.  The heat transfer on plastic sucks, so holding it in your hand to melt it takes a while, but keeping it in plastic to melt it will keep it cleaner than melting it in your hand.

[pantone159]

Teflon is supposed to be ideal, as the gallium won't stick to it, but ain't cheap.
I keep mine in a clear hard plastic container.  (Not sure which kind of plastic, it isn't labeled.)

[woelen]

You can use glass (it looks much better), but then you have to assure that the temperature does not go over 30 C for prolonged time. I store mine in a small glass vial, as a solid lump. Even if the temperature rises to over 30 C for a day or so, it will not melt at once. All this heat also has to penetrate the metal lump and it takes time. So, if you store your gallium in a glass container, and the lump loosely fits in the container, then I would not worry about cracking of the container.

[billnotgatez]

Woelen –

Would it be prudent to use argon gas in the glass container and set the sample on a Teflon watch glass?

[jdurg]

I melted my gallium and poured it into a glass vial.  Mostly because I have no plans on taking the gallium out, and secondly because if I ever decided to do that I'd just break the glass vial and physically separate the Ga from the glass with minimal losses.

[AfromOz]

I got my 30g of gallium today. It was 33C so a bit had melted.

Am kinda apprehensive to take it out of its plastic pouch. It even appears to be sticking to that!

Now, to think of best way to display so the kids can melt it without getting it dirty.

Wish I could have the name of that plastic, Mark K!

Cheers,

Adam

[pantone159]

Wish I could have the name of that plastic, Mark K!

It's probably some kind of polycarbonate.  I just picked up something of the right size from the local 'Container Store'.

[AfromOz]

Wish I could have the name of that plastic, Mark K!

It's probably some kind of polycarbonate.  I just picked up something of the right size from the local 'Container Store'.

OK, I'll pop into my local "Container Store" tomorrow and ask to have a look at their gallium line

Cheers,

Adam