AI generated JACS cover?
https://redd.it/1ll57s5
@r_chemistry
Can anyone tell me where I went wrong with the Elephant Toothpaste reaction?
I teach kindergarten in China and I decided to go full on and try the Elephant Toothpaste experiment with Potassium Iodide solution and 30% Hydrogen Peroxide. I ordered the materials and today gave it a try and got zero reaction. I prepared the KI solution myself, but the internet had tons of different suggestions for how to do it so I assumed it was fairly hard to mess up. I put 100g of food-grade potassium iodide powder into 70 ml of bottled water. The solution got very cold so I'm sure that it was indeed potassium iodide, but there was a ton of powder undissolved at the bottom. I checked some more proper educational websites and saw that it is recommended to mix 100g KI with 100ml distilled water and heat it to dissolve and then add more KI until it stops dissolving and then cool it down.
I suppose my primary questions are:
1. Does the distilled water vs. bottled water make a noticeable difference?
2. Does the temperature of the solution have any affect?
3. If the solution had tons of undissolved KI at the bottom, that means the liquid was a saturated solution yes?
I'm very confused because I got zero reaction entirely.
Thanks for your time!
https://redd.it/1lkvkga
@r_chemistry
Have you ever seen such a delicate and compact photochemical reactor?
https://redd.it/1lkvmbp
@r_chemistry
Finally got a job
It has been almost 4 months since I started looking. I decided to master out in January and started to look for jobs in March. Countless amount of rejections, and many jobs that just didn't work out interview, and I was getting really nervous especially since I am an international student. My background is in organic and polymer chemistry and I hoped to get a job in R&D, but I ended up getting a job as a process engineer in a field I have never worked in before. don't ask me how it worked out. Is this the ideal job? NO. Is the pay great? NO. Do I like the location? NO. Is this a job that is going to sponsor me knowing that I am an international student? Yes.
I hope all works out well for everyone who are looking jobs!
https://redd.it/1lksskc
@r_chemistry
What is powdered HF acid, actually?
While investigating something else, I encountered powdered hydrofluoric acid, which baffles me (but I'm no chemist). If I understand it right, HF is made via a gas dissolved in a liquid, there shouldn't be anything left if it were dried.
Please let me note that I'm a trained professional (as a user of the HF acid), and there is no need for well-meaning suggestions for alternatives, warnings to avoid it, etc. I am just curious how on earth there is a powdered form of the acid, or where my misunderstanding comes from.
Examples:
I tried providing links and Reddit auto-deleted my post, however "hydrofluoric acid powder" can be found on Nanochemazone's website, and "Hydrofluoric Acid Anhydrous Granules" on India Mart. I'll try to add the links as a comment.
My apologies in advance if this falls under the "Undergraduate and High School Chemistry" rule, being that I've never heard of this before I'm *hoping* it's a bit more advanced question. Thank you all in advance.
https://redd.it/1lkhcry
@r_chemistry
How can I estimate the polyester content in this yarn?
https://redd.it/1lk97hq
@r_chemistry
Lab equipment for 1 milion
If you won 1 million, what lab equipment would you buy for work? 😀
https://redd.it/1lk56e6
@r_chemistry
What field seems closest to what i am looking for?
I am going into my junior year and starting to think about what field i want to go into. I am very obssessed with making chemicals and figuring out efficiant ways to make them. I dont want to actively use too much math or physics but i am okay with a moderate amount of not complex math or physics (i just dont want my brain to explode) Thank you :3
https://redd.it/1lk1l23
@r_chemistry
Why did this happen?
https://redd.it/1ljwfbn
@r_chemistry
Successful Synthesis of Ethylenediamine from Antifreeze
https://redd.it/1ljorzw
@r_chemistry
No Bunsen Burners? 😔
I'm a high school chemistry teacher and I use Bunsen burners all the time. There's a wonderful guided inquiry experiment where students have to determine where in the iconic double flame is the hottest, and use data to back it up. Then, of course, there's flame tests and determining the color of emission for various metal salts, which can then be used to help identify unknown ionic compounds.
But in the new school building they're constructing, we're not allowed to have a hookup for methane gas, and not allowed to have methane reserves in the building to use for Bunsen burners. The team building the new building has offered to buy us electric Bunsen burners to make up for it, but I'm left with two questions.
1. My director asked me (since I'm dept. head) what brand and model of electric bunsen burner I'd want them to order. I have never seen nor used an electric bunsen burner in my life, so... I've got no clue. What do you recommend?
2. How can I do flame tests of ionic compounds, now that I've got no Bunsen burners to produce flame?
Thanks for the advice!
https://redd.it/1ljlyn3
@r_chemistry
Some beautiful color of chlorine for an upcoming experiment
https://redd.it/1ljgai1
@r_chemistry
What would this piece of glassware be used for?
https://redd.it/1ljdq6z
@r_chemistry
If you know what this is for put the elements involved in the comments along with what's missing.
https://redd.it/1lj7zwb
@r_chemistry
What is this?? from Ukraine: "This is what landed in Kyiv today. The warhead of a Shahed drone contained an incendiary compound that doesn’t extinguish even in sand, likely a thermite or magnesium based agent."
https://redd.it/1lj4y77
@r_chemistry
So... I left pH paper next to a bottle of ammonia
https://redd.it/1ll37ie
@r_chemistry
A proper Natrium/Sodium map
https://redd.it/1lkvpo0
@r_chemistry
Surface tension vs surface energy?
Is there anyone majoring in surface chemistry or physics chemistry? I just get started reading some books in this field and I’m still confused what the difference of surface energy and surface tension is. Although the definition of both seems right to me, isn’t it equivalent to each other. (The dimensions are also equal) Some sources say they are interchangeable but are they? Then why are there so many equations that just specify one of them? (Or did I just misinterpret something?) For example, Laplace equations (in which γ is surface tension), capillary rise or Young equation (in which γ is surface energy). The fact that γ is used for both terms also annoys me.
https://redd.it/1lkuof4
@r_chemistry
Recently learned that alcohol itself has calories/sugar before adding any of the flavoring, but I need help with the math
https://redd.it/1lkleco
@r_chemistry
RIP The US Chemical Safety Board (USCSB)
https://youtu.be/2z7h5BOZ2Hk?si=DNBwswOaHiZ0zlwI
https://redd.it/1lkezdc
@r_chemistry
Chemists, what does a workweek look like for you?
I (19F) am studying chemistry to become a chemist and I was working what being a chemist looks like. I wonder if the work consists of working in a lab or more like sitting behind a computer all day, or maybe a mix of both?
https://redd.it/1lk9n47
@r_chemistry
What field of chemistry seems most appropriate for me?
I'm just struggling to find out what field of chemistry I want to go into. All I really know is that I love organic chemistry and I love making chemicals in the lab, but I don't have any industry knowledge and combined with the fact I don't want to work in a factory or plant, I don't think synthesising chemicals on an industrial scale would be ideal for me. I also enjoy research. I'm just wondering if anyone can help point me in the right direction for fields heavily associated with these two things or just synthesis? Thank you
https://redd.it/1lk3r2p
@r_chemistry
Why is my ice like that?
https://redd.it/1ljz2uw
@r_chemistry
Sodium countries vs Natrium countries in Europe.
https://redd.it/1ljrqf0
@r_chemistry
Researchers turn plastic into paracetamol: « Engineered E. coli can metabolize plastic waste into acetaminophen. »
https://cen.acs.org/biological-chemistry/biotechnology/Researchers-turn-plastic-paracetamol/103/web/2025/06
https://redd.it/1ljlnqa
@r_chemistry
Methods to chemically reduce nitrate in solution?
I'm in charge of disposing chemical waste from labs, but ran into a problem recently with a specific waste. One of the labs handed me a bottle composed of several different heavy metal nitrates in an organic solvent (hexane). Issue being here - I am going to have a lot of issues trying to ship this out for disposal since this is a strong oxidizer in the same solution as an organic fuel source.
My question, is there any possible way to safely react out or reduce the nitrates? I've been trying to look online and most reactions I've come across, you are left with nitrate ions in solution which I'm trying to avoid.
Any help would be appreciated.
https://redd.it/1ljd2x3
@r_chemistry
This banner was put up at a job fair
https://redd.it/1ljc00h
@r_chemistry
Pesticides removal form the washign machine
Hello Reddit!:
I got a problem! I was stupid enough to wash clothes soaked in a mixture of permethrin, cypermethrin and tetramethrin in my home washing machine. Now I wonder if i should just go ahead and replace the machine? Or are there some effective ways to 100% clean it off? I read it is toxic to humans when exposed long term (and what can be more long term than every piece of clothing that is cross contaminated..?)
Please please please help me to avoid these huuuuge costs 🥲
https://redd.it/1lj89gr
@r_chemistry
In what scenario would the use of the buttplug flask be optimal
https://redd.it/1lj4a6u
@r_chemistry
