Synthesis of Alum
Crystals from Scrap
Metal
Experiment #: 1
Name: Nguyen Quoc Khanh
Group: 4
Group Members: Ho Ching LEUNG
Man Yau MA
Aiai MAI
Wui Wa TANG
Date of the experiment: September 26, 2023
Date of lab report submission: October 16, 2023
Abstract
This experiment was designed to convert aluminum into alum crystal which is
useful materials in industry. We examined the amount of alum can be converted from
aluminum can and the melting point of the crystals. To do this, we dissolved the
aluminum pieces into potassium hydroxide solution under heat. Then, we collected
the filtrate and add sulfuric acid into the one third of the filtrate we obtained. After
stirring the mixture in the ice bath, the crystals formed. We weighed the crystals and
determined the melting point of the alum sample after drying it. Overall, we used
2.0250 gram of aluminum pieces to obtain 7.9652 gram of alum crystals with
82.3-88.0°C melting point.
1.Introduction
Aluminum is a material that can be used in different kind of manufacturing, such
as aircraft, automobiles, bicycles, boats, computers, cookware, gutters, siding,
wire(Aluminum Waste - Cargo Handbook). It is useful as its lightness and high
thermal conductivity properties. Since there are many uses of aluminum, the
aluminum waste becomes increasingly large number. In this experiment, we
converted scrap aluminum metal from a used beverage can into alum which is a useful
aluminum compound in industry. This suggested that waste material can often be
converted to new substances, allowing reuse of the limited quantities of many natural
resources.
2. Experimental Apparatus and Procedures
Instrument
1. magnetic stirrer bar 11. ice bath
2. DI (deionized) water 150mL 12. Buchner funnel
3. Erlenmeyer flask 13. filtering flask
4. aluminum pieces 14. watch glass
5. stirrer hotplate 15. capillary tube
6. glass rod 16. beakers
7. Digital Melting point Apparatus
8. filter paper
9. filtering funnel
10. graduated cylinder
Chemicals and Reagents
1. 50mL of 6M potassium hydroxide solution
2. 20mL of 9M sulfuric acid
3. acetone (AR grade)
Procedures
1. We added 50mL of 6M potassium hydroxide solution into 150mL DI water in a
250 mL Erlenmeyer flask with a magnetic stirrer bar.
2. We transferred 2 grams of the aluminum pieces to the KOH solution in the
Erlenmeyer flask and heat the mixture gently on a stirrer hotplate for 30 minutes.
(Observation: The aluminum pieces dissolved slowly. The solution turned from
colourless to grey then dark grey, finally turned to black after most of the
aluminum pieces dissolved in the solution.)
3. We filtered the hot mixture through the fluted filter paper and filtering funnel then
collected the filtrate in a 250mL Erlenmeyer flask.
4. We transferred the liquid to a graduated cylinder after colling down, then recorded
the total volume of solution obtained.
5. We poured out approximately one-third of this total volume of liquid into separate
150mL beakers.
6. We acidified our portion of the solution by slowly pouring 20mL of 9M sulfuric
acid into the beaker.
(Observation: the solution turned pale yellow. White precipitate produced
(aluminum hydroxide).)
7. We heat the solution gently with stirring until it became clear.
(Observation: the solution turned transparent.)
8. We cooled the solution in an ice bath for about 20 minutes and stirred it frequently
by glass rod.
(Observation: the solution turned from colourless to milky white.
9. We turned on the vacuum and transferred the alum crystals from the beaker to the
Buchner funnel, allowing the crystals to become moderately dry.
(Observation: the milky solution becomes white powder)
10. We let the alum crystals dry for 10 minutes on pre-weighed watch glass and
weighed the crystals to the nearest 0.0001g.
11. We pushed the open end of a capillary tube (other end sealed) into our powdered
alum sample, then forced a few of the powder into the capillary tube and turn it
over.
12. Finally, we determined the melting point of the sample.
Difficulties (Errors)
1. There are some aluminum pieces stick to the upper side of the Erlenmeyer flask
which may affect the volume of the aluminum that convert to alum.
(Improvement: Use glass rod to counteract the tendency of the metal shavings to float
on top of the froth.)
Data
Total weight of aluminum can used (g): 2.0250
Total final volume of Al-KOH solution 148.5
your team obtained (mL):
Volume of Al-KOH solution you used 49.5
(mL):
Weight of alum crystals (dried) obtained 7.9652
(mL):
Melting point of alum crystals (°C): 82.3-88.0
3.Result and discussion
Calculation
Percentage yield = Actual weight of alum recovered per gram of Al/Theoretical
weight of alum recovered per gram of Al*100
Dissolving the aluminum:
2Al(s) + 2 KOH(aq) + 6 H2O(l) 2KAl(OH)4 (aq) + 3H2(g)
Acidifying with sulfuric acid:
2KAl(OH)4(aq) + H2SO4 (aq) 2Al(OH )3(s) + K2SO4(aq) + 2H2O(l)
2Al(OH)3(s) + 3H2SO4(aq) Al2(SO4)3(aq) + 6H2O(l)
Forming alum crystals:
K+(aq) + Al3+(aq) + 2SO42-(aq) + 12H2O(l) KAl(SO4)2.12H2O(s)
Overall equation:
2Al(s) + 2KOH(aq) + 4H2SO4(aq) + 22H2O(l) 2 KAl(SO4)2.12H2O (s) + 3H2(g)
Molar mass of Al=27
Molar mass of KAl(SO4)2.12H2O=474
Theoretical weight of alum recovered per gram of Al=(2*1/3)/27*474=11.7037037g
Percentage yield = 7.9652/11.7037037*100=68%
From the result obtained after calculation, aluminum pieces can be converted to alum
in the percentage yield of 68% with the addition of potassium hydroxide solution and
sulphuric acid. Aluminum dissolved in potassium hydroxide to form potassium
aluminate. By addition of sulphuric acid, potassium hydroxide (Al(OH)3) is formed
and causes the compound to precipitate. It re-dissolves after heating for a while. After
cooling the solution, the crystals will form. It is because the solubility of alum in
water decreases as the temperature is decreased. We found out that the faster we
stirred the solution, the faster the crystals formed. The crystals formed are also small.
Review Questions
1. Potash alum is used for purification of impure water, stops bleeding, as mordant
for dyeing industry, leather tanning, fireproof textiles, and baking powder.
(POTASH Alum – Kal(SO4)2.12H2O, n.d.).
2. i).4.50*(60/200)/27*474=23.7g
ii).4.5/27*474=79g
%yield=64/79*100=81.01%
3. The impurity of the scrap aluminum
There are some aluminum pieces stick to the upper side of the Erlenmeyer flask
when heating and stirring.
The improper cleaning when using Buchner funnel.
4.
4. Conclusion
This experiment can determine the amount of alum crystals can be converted from
aluminum waste by addition of potassium hydroxide and sulphuric acid. By
calculating the percentage yield, we are able to determine the recovery
effectiveness of aluminum waste.
Reference:
1.Aluminum Waste - Cargo Handbook - the world’s largest cargo transport guidelines
website. (n.d.). https://www.cargohandbook.com/Aluminium_Waste
2.POTASH alum – Kal(SO4)2.12H2O. (n.d.). CCB Baslini.
https://ccb-baslini.it/en/portfolio-articoli/potash-alum-kalso42-12h2o/
