[symori]

Hye all...

This is regarding my experiment made at home.




I tried to perform electrolysis on thick NaCl, by adding tap water and 500g of salt.
Electrode used is a thin aluminium wire, powered by 9v battery.

The end result: Once there is no bubbling thingy, the solution turned yellow.

What happened guys? Pls advice me.
I'm trying to produce my own NaOH liquid.

Thanks.

[billnotgatez]

Electrode used is a thin aluminium wire

Is there a reason you did not use graphite electrode.
I can understand that Platinum electrodes may be too expensive.

[symori]

Electrode used is a thin aluminium wire

Is there a reason you did not use graphite electrode.
I can understand that Platinum electrodes may be too expensive.

reason being is bcoz graphite electrode is not as easy as getting the aluminium wire.
do u think i shud use graphite electrode instead?

[billnotgatez]

Aluminum in this case is reacting.
You want an electrode that is not reactive.
Graphite rods may deteriorate after while but are better than aluminum and cheaper than platinum.
Finding graphite rods for electrodes can be as easy as taking apart some kinds of batteries or going to a welding shop.

A search of this forum gave the following link which may be of interest.
http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=33650.0
You might also read
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolysis
The links below are more difficult to understand unless you have some experience.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_electrode_potential
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_of_standard_electrode_potentials

[Tittywahah]

I tale apart batteries for the carbon rods.  It is very easy, here is a link, he goes a bit wobbly but you will get the impression.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0vYZHyHLG0

[symori]

Aluminum in this case is reacting.
You want an electrode that is not reactive.
Graphite rods may deteriorate after while but are better than aluminum and cheaper than platinum.
Finding graphite rods for electrodes can be as easy as taking apart some kinds of batteries or going to a welding shop.

A search of this forum gave the following link which may be of interest.
http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=33650.0
You might also read
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolysis
The links below are more difficult to understand unless you have some experience.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_electrode_potential
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_of_standard_electrode_potentials

Thank you so much mr mod!!

[symori]

I tale apart batteries for the carbon rods.  It is very easy, here is a link, he goes a bit wobbly but you will get the impression.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0vYZHyHLG0

I'm gonna watch the video now.

Thanx a lot sir!! 

[Borek]

reason being is bcoz graphite electrode is not as easy as getting the aluminium wire.
do u think i shud use graphite electrode instead?

I think you should start learning how to properly write in English. According to the forum rules official forum language is English, not textese.

[symori]

reason being is bcoz graphite electrode is not as easy as getting the aluminium wire.
do u think i shud use graphite electrode instead?

I think you should start learning how to properly write in English. According to the forum rules official forum language is English, not textese.

Opps! Loud and clear, sir!

[Tittywahah]

Hi Borek  "... how to properly write in English..."  split infinitive not allowed....a cringe in my English ears.. don't worry, the BBC and CNN do it all the time Horrible stuff.

[Intanjir]

I see no one seems to have speculated on why it was yellow.
I think that aluminium compounds would not themselves be imparting any yellowness.
Perhaps it is an iron impurity in the wire entering the solution as iron chloride and giving it the color.

[Tittywahah]

I did not want to comment for this very reason that I am only guessing.  Anyway I will offer an opinion not based on knowledge of chemistry.   Tap water contains chlorine, if your tap water is heavily chlorinated then I might suppose a reaction between this and the forming NaOH since chlorine is a yellow gas?  If I were doing this I would use  de-ionized water to eliminate any contagion from foreign ions.

[symori]

I did not want to comment for this very reason that I am only guessing.  Anyway I will offer an opinion not based on knowledge of chemistry.   Tap water contains chlorine, if your tap water is heavily chlorinated then I might suppose a reaction between this and the forming NaOH since chlorine is a yellow gas?  If I were doing this I would use  de-ionized water to eliminate any contagion from foreign ions.

Tap water with extra clorine, can be true though.

So to eliminate the clorine, do I have to electrolysis the tap water itself with a graphite electrode?

[Borek]

Not enough chlorine for making the color apparent.

What other things - apart from the Al electrode - were in contact with the solution?

What kind of aluminum? Perhaps some fancy alloy?

[symori]

Well.. that is all. Just a normal Aluminium tiny little rod.
Next time I will snap a picture and upload it here.