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spice · Psychonaut Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 861

I want to compose a faq thread here, so that the prep of amalgam isn't so mysterious....

I learned how the hard way, so maybe you won't have to deal with a flaming eruption of aluminum, mercury, mdp2p and alcohol.....

Q: How much hgcl2 is needed?
A: a TINY amount. Methyl man and those other characters using a half a gram is way overkill. Maybe a tenth of that, just enough to cover the tip of a knofe blade should be plenty.

Q: I can't find it anywhere, or I'm afraid to buy it. What now?
A: It can be made, there is a process at erowid>rhodium that is pretty simple.

Q: How toxic IS it?
A: It is toxic, but not on a level like cyanide....it is more of a cumulative toxin...
use gloves, always, and wear goggles when making the amalgam, and at the start of the reduction. Alcoholic solutions of hgcl2 are very poisonous and will absorb directly into your systrem if splashed on you....if you do get a spater or whatever, use a lot of strong detergent and warm water and thoroughly wash the area asap.

Q What excuse can I give for using it?
A: It used to be used in old school photo developing. .... but there aren't many reasons to want it. Go to erowid/rhodium...if you are planning to go all the way, the process is easier than a lot of the other things you'll have to do
anyway.

Q: will it hurt to use too much salt to form the amalgam?
A: No, but it's not good technique and it reduces the overall reducing power of the amalgam, by forcing it to reduce the hg+ ions to elemental hg.

Ask more questions and I will do my best to answer them...

spice out

Shake · Psychonaut Joined: 21 Mar 2008 Posts: 92

Okay i have a question...

What is all the fuss with the 'reynolds' brands Al foil

Im assuming that any will do... But Methyl man ect is pretty adamant about using reynolds only..

spice · Psychonaut Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 861

Reynolds HEAVY DUTY......the reason isn't about the brand, its about the thickness of the aluminum.

You can make amalgam with any kind of aluminum; powder, shavings, whatever... the thing is, the thickness of the aluminum affects the speed of the breakdown....the speed of the breakdown would be too fast without heavy duty foil, and what the end result would be is that you would only reduce the nitromethane to methylamine and you wouldn't have the legs to reduce the mdp2p to the amine.

tarutaru · Psychonaut Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 46

Q. When you say 1L of 50% NaOH solution, do you mean 50% by molar weight or 50% by volume?

Q. Is there any easy way to seperate the mercury from the sludge so it's easier to dispose of?

spice · Psychonaut Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 861

Volume.

No, seal it up in a container and mail it to the cops as a gift for their selfless service......seriously, yt can't be easily dealt with. Dispose of it in some safe manner.....your choice.

spice · Psychonaut Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 861

Volume.

No, seal it up in a container and mail it to the cops as a gift for their selfless service......seriously, yt can't be easily dealt with. Dispose of it in some safe manner.....your choice.

tarutaru · Psychonaut Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 46

Shake · Psychonaut Joined: 21 Mar 2008 Posts: 92

You must of had a SHIT week man haha... But i gotta say, it was a good call!

Wink

phalaris · Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 16:25 Post subject:

I like the insolubility (and thus relative safety) of Hg2Cl2.

Q: how would a typical run go, using Hg2Cl2 instead of HgCl2 ?

spice · Psychonaut Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 861

I never used it.

My best guess is that the insolubility will totally work against you. Since HgCl2 is ionized in the alcohol solvent, and these hg++ ions are attracted to the free electrons in aluminum ( which is 'what' the amalgam is )these factors should retard the formation of the amalgam. It is my understanding that the superior solubility of the ionic salt is what allows for a rocket-power reduction.

As the aluminum dissolves, it releases the electrons, which reduce the hg++ ions to elemental mercury....but there are still a lot of extra electrons, and the now elemental mercury SUCKS THESE ELECTRONS up, and then transfers them to the product of the condensation of methylamine and MDP2P (called an IMINE) and reduces this imine to an amine.

It is dependent upon the solvent ionizing the salt, to the best of my understanding.

azure · Psychonaut Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 1

amalgation with hg(ii)cl2 takes longer and it needs more shaking/stirring/heating to get it going (in water). Its also difficult to remove excess by washing.
It forms little lumps that float around which have a tendency to stick to the wall of your flask, which is unconvenient.

I have had good reaction and yield using 15% hcl but had difficulties to keep things going at a decent rate with 70% acetic.

But with a little tweaking ii think kalomel will work just as fine as any mercury salt for amalgating your aluminium and is a whole lot less scary to work with then the rest of them.

spice · Psychonaut Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 861

Sounds like a monstrous pain in the ass....

The normal amalgam is loaded with enough variables for me.

phalaris · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 13:48 Post subject:

Thanks for the comments.

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