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Element collecting


Gilded

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I have an okay element collection, it goes as follows:

 

 

Hydrogen - Sealed test tube

Helium - Sealed test tube

Lithium - Small metal chunks from coin cell

Beryllium - Sample in ampoule, from Metallium

Boron - Sample in ampoule, from Metallium

Carbon - Coal, pencil lead

Nitrogen - Sealed test tube

Oxygen - Sealed test tube

 

Neon - Sample in ampoule, from Metallium

Sodium - VERY impure sample I made from a thermite of NaOH

Magnesium - Chunk of a camp firestarter

Aluminum - Foil, powder

Silicon - 2" chunk, bought for $3 in California

Phosphorus - Vial of powder scraped from matchboxes

Sulfur - Crystals, powder

 

Argon - Sample in ampoule, from Metallium

 

Iron - Slug in mineral oil

 

Nickel - Canadian dime (ironic, my nickel is a dime.)

Copper - Ball, nuggets, wire

Zinc - Scraped U.S. pennies

 

Silver - 1 troy oz. bullion bar

 

Tin - Ingot, Metallium

 

Iodine - Home-made chunks

 

Gold - 24k foil in vial (tourist style)

Mercury - thermometer

 

Lead - Fishing weights

Bismuth - Crystals

 

Also, I have a few other Lithium pieces that I accidentally oxidized. (or hydroxidized. It's covered in white, flaky... something.) This was lithium foil from a battery, so does the oxide or hydroxide take over the whole thing or can I just melt it?

 

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  • 1 month later...

Hi,

Been lurking here for a while, Google brought me to this thread which has been an excellent source of information for this hobby of element collecting!

Decided to post to say thanks to everyone for some great links and advice.

Also my collection is coming along quite nicely so I'd like to share it with you :)

Photos and some basic info can be found here: -

http://elements.scienceontheweb.net

Please forgive the web design, this was made in notepad using my limited html knowledge.

I have spares of Ca and S available for trade (small quantities) if anyone is interested.

Thanks again for running a great forum!

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

My collection:

 

Hydrogen (Reaction with 9V battery, paper clips, and water)

Carbon (Graphite and activated carbon)

Oxygen (Reaction with H2O2)

Fluorine (Teflon)

Aluminum (Metallium (WHY?!?))

Phosphorus (Matchboxes)

Titanium (Metallium)

Chromium (Chrome-plated drill bits)

Iron (From cereal :D)

Nickel (Pre-1980 Canadian dimes)

Copper (Metallium)

Zinc (Metallium)

Gallium (Ebay)

Molybdenum (Metallium)

Rhodium (Plated ring)

Silver (Metallium)

Antimony (Smart-Elements)

Cesium (Smart-Elements)

Praseodymium (Metallium)

Erbium (Metallium)

Tantalum (Capacitors)

Tungsten (Lightbulb)

Gold (Ring)

Mercury (Thermometer)

Lead (Metallium)

Bismuth (Metallium)

Americium (Smoke detector)

 

:D?

 

Getting soon:

Tin

Helium

Argon

Manganese

Vanadium

Magnesium

 

 

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Impressive collection you've got going there. Anyway, seeing as I'm somehow on a roll, just got the Iridium from a sparkplug today. Which reminds me: I have the center electrode wire, but I have no idea what it is. Is there any way I could figure it out on the elements below?

Newer longer lasting plugs now use electodes made of yttrium, iridium, platinum, tungsten, or palladium.

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  • 5 weeks later...

My father built an element collection thanks to his father who worked as a chemist in the steel industry, and by getting on well with his chemistry teacher (that sort of thing wouldn't be allowed these days!). He extracted/purified much of them himself and has samples of most of the naturally occurring elements.

 

It's kind of a shame that these days it's so easy to obtain various chemicals online.

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Hydrogen

Helium

Lithium

Beryllium

Boron

Carbon

Nitrogen

Oxygen

Fluorine

Neon

Sodium

Magnesium

Aluminum

Silicon

Phosphorus

Sulfur

Chlorine

Argon

Potassium

Calcium

Scandium

Titanium

Vanadium

Chromium

Manganese

Iron

Cobalt

Nickel

Copper

Zinc

Gallium

Germanium

Arsenic

Selenium

Bromine

Krypton

Rubidium

Strontium

Yttrium

Zirconium

Niobium

Molybdenum

Ruthenium

Rhodium

Palladium

Silver

Cadmium

Indium

Tin

Antimony

Tellurium

Iodine

Xenon

Cesium

Barium

Lanthanum

Cerium

Praseodymium

Neodymium

Samarium

Europium

Gadolinium

Terbium

Dysprosium

Holmium

Erbium

Thulium

Ytterbium

Lutetium

Hafnium

Tantalum

Tungsten

Rhenium

Osmium

Iridium

Platinum

Gold

Mercury

Thallium

Lead

Bismuth

Thorium

Uranium

Neptunium

Americium

 

Strikethrough = Have

Bold = Getting Soon

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  • 2 years later...

My collection:

 

6 Carbon - Graphite.

7 Nitrogen - Air.

8 Oxygen - Air.

9 Fluorine - Small piece of fluorite.

13 Aluminum - Foil.

14 Silicon - Silicon chip.

15 Phosphorus - Ampoule containing 1 gram of amorphous red phosphorus, from ebay.

16 Sulfur - Chunk of native sulfur.

18 Argon - Argon-filled light bulb.

26 Iron - Cast iron pan.

28 Nickel - Small strips from chemistry set.

29 Copper - Small strips from chemistry set.

30 Zinc - Small strips from chemistry set.

36 Krypton - Krypton flashlight bulb.

47 Silver - 1 oz silver coin.

50 Tin - Tin fishing weights.

51 Antimony - 50 Gram chunk, from Metallium.

52 Tellurium - 10 grams, mostly powder.

54 Xenon - Xenon flashlight bulb.

73 Tantalum - Piece of tantalum foil.

79 Gold - 1/20 oz gold coin.

82 Lead - Fishing weights, small strips from chemistry set.

83 Bismuth - 10 gram pellet from Metallium.

 

Getting soon:

 

12 Magnesium - Disk from United Nuclear.

14 Silicon - Vial from United Nuclear.

24 Chromium - 100 grams of chromium pieces.

27 Cobalt - Chunk from United Nuclear.

31 Gallium - 20 Gram portion.

49 Indium - 10 gram piece.

80 Mercury - Several mercury thermometers.

 

 

Also, I do have a question: If the ampoule were to rupture, would 300 mg of bromine be a serious hazard? link removed

 

Moderator note: please do not post links to commercial sites.

Edited by Smooth Jazz
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  • 5 months later...

Correction, all actinides are radioactive. So is Bi and Pb as found in nature. Don't forget 40K....how will you avoid that?

 

Promethium? I'd try the site of your countries last ground level atomic detonation. That's how my old professor, Jacob Marinsky, and 2 others found it.

 

Cerric ammonium nitrate is a cheap, common oxidant in labs and industry. Or, so they say. I didn't need it once in 25 years of daily organic syntheses.

 

Think these facts are correct, Roger?

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  • 3 months later...

Potassium

Sodium

Lithium

Magnesium

Aluminum

Titanium

Manganese

Zinc

Iron

Cobalt

Chromium

Nickel

Tin

Lead

Copper

Silver

Gold

Palladium

Tantalum

Ruthenium

Iodine

Sulphur

Silicon

Chlorine

Hydrogen

Oxygen

Edited by Romix
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  • 3 months later...

I'm a chemistry newbie (electronics is more my specialty) but chem is always fun and useful knowledge. Personally, I'm entertaining the idea of creating an element collection by synthesizing all elements at home. Would anyone mind discussing what challenges, or impossibilities one might face if they attempted such a feat (because I'm confident there are some elements I just won't be able to produce at home, however I don't know offhand what those elements would be, nor how numerous). I certainly wouldn't mind investing in some lab equipment, or building the equipment myself, although I would hesitate to spend more than a couple hundred per piece of equipment. I'm currently working on a solder reflow oven capable of reaching a temp of 600C, I can create pretty much anything electronic for electrolysis, heating, thermoelectric-cooling, sensing, centrifuging, ionization, and such, I in intend to buy a vacuum chamber soon, however I am lacking in glasswear and a fume hood. However I could setup some fans in an open area. The intent here would be to get the raw elements from household, or inexpensive store-bought materials meaning (I assume) some elements will be very easy, and others very hard to obtain. Any thoughts?

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You personally, as an individual, can't do it; it involves seriously high energies and equipment splitting or fusing atoms. You are talking about acquiring a fission reactor, fusion reactor (no working model) or particle accelerator. Nuclear transmutation is a government-level undertaking.

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Any thoughts?

You would need Cockcroft-Walton generator and Van der Graaf generator to create high-voltage for a start..

http://blazelabs.com/e-exp15.asp

(if you're talking about nuclear transmutation/fission/fusion)

 

(because I'm confident there are some elements I just won't be able to produce at home, however I don't know offhand what those elements would be, nor how numerous).

Getting noble gases from air requires apparatus to condensation of Oxygen.

Edited by Sensei
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You personally, as an individual, can't do it; it involves seriously high energies and equipment splitting or fusing atoms. You are talking about acquiring a fission reactor, fusion reactor (no working model) or particle accelerator. Nuclear transmutation is a government-level undertaking.

 

I presume DJ027X was talking about purification / extraction of the elements from accessible / purchasable mixtures and compounds - and with that proviso you could get to a very decent percentage. This is in Chemistry - not Physics - and I assume that short-lived higher number elements that are only accessible as short-lived products of nuclear reactions would be excluded.

 

I wonder how many a well-equiped and dedicated hobbyist could reach?

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I presume DJ027X was talking about purification / extraction of the elements from accessible / purchasable mixtures and compounds - and with that proviso you could get to a very decent percentage. This is in Chemistry - not Physics - and I assume that short-lived higher number elements that are only accessible as short-lived products of nuclear reactions would be excluded.

 

I wonder how many a well-equiped and dedicated hobbyist could reach?

You may well be right but I took 'synthesizing' as the operative word in his question. Won't be the first time I've barked up the wrong tree. :).

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  • 1 year later...

I am a collector. I have around 33 samples (almost all in compounds) the only pure ones i have are magnesium, carbon, argon, krypton, tungsten, lead, zinc, tin, and a few more. I am making a series on YouTube soon called extracting the elements where i extract elements from their compounds. My channel is Sor sor science07 if you want to check it out...


My collection:

 

6 Carbon - Graphite.

7 Nitrogen - Air.

8 Oxygen - Air.

9 Fluorine - Small piece of fluorite.

13 Aluminum - Foil.

14 Silicon - Silicon chip.

15 Phosphorus - Ampoule containing 1 gram of amorphous red phosphorus, from ebay.

16 Sulfur - Chunk of native sulfur.

18 Argon - Argon-filled light bulb.

26 Iron - Cast iron pan.

28 Nickel - Small strips from chemistry set.

29 Copper - Small strips from chemistry set.

30 Zinc - Small strips from chemistry set.

36 Krypton - Krypton flashlight bulb.

47 Silver - 1 oz silver coin.

50 Tin - Tin fishing weights.

51 Antimony - 50 Gram chunk, from Metallium.

52 Tellurium - 10 grams, mostly powder.

54 Xenon - Xenon flashlight bulb.

73 Tantalum - Piece of tantalum foil.

79 Gold - 1/20 oz gold coin.

82 Lead - Fishing weights, small strips from chemistry set.

83 Bismuth - 10 gram pellet from Metallium.

 

Getting soon:

 

12 Magnesium - Disk from United Nuclear.

14 Silicon - Vial from United Nuclear.

24 Chromium - 100 grams of chromium pieces.

27 Cobalt - Chunk from United Nuclear.

31 Gallium - 20 Gram portion.

49 Indium - 10 gram piece.

80 Mercury - Several mercury thermometers.

 

 

Also, I do have a question: If the ampoule were to rupture, would 300 mg of bromine be a serious hazard? link removed

 

Moderator note: please do not post links to commercial sites.

yes bromine would be a very large hazard. Halogens are very reactive (and toxic) I would store those ampules in a soft container maybe filled with polyestrine

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  • 11 months later...
  • 4 months later...

Hydrogen- Thryrotron switch, electrolysis on saltwater

Helium- Balloon filling tank

Lithium- Battery

Beryllium- Old missile gyroscopes (or eBay)

Boron- Boric acid, you can easily extract boron from it

Carbon- Pencil graphite

Nitrogen- liquid nitrogen is commonly available for cooling things

Oxygen- Disposable oxygen tanks are commercially available, or use electrolysis to make your own from saltwater

Fluorine- Special types of bleach

Neon- Neon sign made with ACTUAL NEON

Sodium- You can order this through amazon, or you can separate it from salt if you are a particularly skilled chemist

Magnesium- Powder is commonly available for burning, solid blocks are available for shaving into ribbons for fire starters

Aluminum- Aluminum foil, or solid blocks are commonly available for light weight testers

Silicon- Computer chips and laser diode filament

Phosphorus- MATCHES!!!

Sulfur- 90% sulfur is available in garden centers for fertilizers

Chlorine- See Sodium, or make your own from bleach, or if you work in a pool you might have a powder based form of nearly pure chlorine

Argon- Wine oxidation preventives.

 

Contact me for more element info

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Hydrogen- Thryrotron switch, electrolysis on saltwater

Helium- Balloon filling tank

Lithium- Battery

Beryllium- Old missile gyroscopes (or eBay)

Boron- Boric acid, you can easily extract boron from it

Carbon- Pencil graphite

Nitrogen- liquid nitrogen is commonly available for cooling things

Oxygen- Disposable oxygen tanks are commercially available, or use electrolysis to make your own from saltwater

Fluorine- Special types of bleach

Neon- Neon sign made with ACTUAL NEON

Sodium- You can order this through amazon, or you can separate it from salt if you are a particularly skilled chemist

Magnesium- Powder is commonly available for burning, solid blocks are available for shaving into ribbons for fire starters

Aluminum- Aluminum foil, or solid blocks are commonly available for light weight testers

Silicon- Computer chips and laser diode filament

Phosphorus- MATCHES!!!

Sulfur- 90% sulfur is available in garden centers for fertilizers

Chlorine- See Sodium, or make your own from bleach, or if you work in a pool you might have a powder based form of nearly pure chlorine

Argon- Wine oxidation preventives.

 

Contact me for more element info

Some of these I had no idea about, very informative and interesting to a chemical layman like myself.

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