DEPARTMENT OF PURE AND APPLIED CHEMISTRY
Visayas State University, Baybay, Leyte
Name: Irish Mae Laude Date Performed: October 3, 2018
Lab Schedule: MW 1:00-4:00 Date Submitted: October 10, 2018
Group No. 1 Ratings:
Experiment No. 9
Purification of Naphthalene Balls by Sublimation
Abstract
The objectives of the experiment were to use and investigate the efficiency of sublimation
as a method of purification and compute the percent recovery. The students ground the
naphthalene balls until finely powdered impure naphthalene was produced. The students then
heat the impure naphthalene and collected the pure naphthalene by putting a watch glass and a
beaker with ice on top of the heated beaker; the students have procured pure naphthalene by
doing the experiment. The students have also determined the melting point of the naphthalene
recovered (80oC) by obtaining some samples of pure naphthalene.
Introduction
Sublimation is the process of phase change where solid substances convert into gas
molecules without passing the liquid phase. Sublimation occurs when the total pressure of the
atmosphere is lower than the vapour pressure of the compound; the substance most also have
weak intermolecular forces for sublimation to occur. Sublimation can be used as a method to
purify impure substances by heating the sample and collects the pure substance in some place
cooler for it to form back into its solid form.
Organic compounds produced in the laboratory may not be pure because of the by-products
that may have formed along with the main product during chemical reaction; because of this
sublimation can be used as a way to purify the organic substance. The sublimation method
however, can only be applied to substances that can change from solid to gaseous phase directly
upon heating.
Results and Discussion
Table1. Naphthalene sublimation
Mass of naphthalene 12 g
Mass of pure naphthalene recovered 0.07 g
Melting Point of naphthalene recovered 80oC
Melting Point of naphthalene from literature 84oC
Percent recovery 0.06%
Figure [Link] naphthalene precipitate
Figure 2. Naphthalene chemical structure
Calculation
0.07 g
Percent recocery = ∗100 %
12 g
¿ 0.6 %
The naphthalene used in the experiment has impurities and the students are tasked to
separate the impurities by means of sublimation. The students heated the powdered naphthalene
and because naphthalene has weak intermolecular forces and naphthalene readily sublimes, the
students were able to obtain pure naphthalene. The impurities have turned into liquid state for
they don’t have the ability to sublime. A watch glass topped with ice in a beaker turned the
gaseous phase of naphthalene back to its solid state which the students then collected.
Conclusion
In the end of the experiment the students were able to use sublimation as a process to
purify the naphthalene balls. The students were also able to get the percent recovery of the
naphthalene which was 0.6%. The experiment was a success due to the fact that the students
were able to learn how to use sublimation as purification process.
Post-Laboratory Questions
1. What are the disadvantages and advantages of using sublimation instead of
recrystallization as a method of purification?
Sublimation requires volatile solid for it to be used in purification process although it is
have some advantages like not having to use a solvent to purify a solid substance.
Recrystallization can be used in most solid since it doesn’t require for a solid to be
volatile however recrystallization doesn’t remove insoluble impurities.
2. How is sublimation related to the preparation of freeze-dried food? What is dye
sublimation printing and how does it work?
Freeze dried food uses sublimation as a way to preserve food. In a vacuum, ice
sublimates directly from solid to gas in a room temperature.
Dye sublimation uses heat to transfer dye into a material. The image is first printed to a
special transfer paper. It is then feed through a high pressure roller heat-press which
effectively turns the ink in the paper to a gas. The ink which has now turned to gas is
transferred into the fabric structure which then closes up when combined with the ink.
3. Why and how does dry ice go through sublimation?
Dry ice goes to sublimation because dry is a carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide turns into gas at
room temperature.
Literature Cited
[Link] Accessed
date October 8, 2018
[Link]
Part_I:__Structure_in_Organic,_Biological_%26_Inorganic_Chemistry/
SP._Intermolecular_Attraction_and_Structure-Property_Relationships/Appendix/Sublimation
Accessed date October 8, 2018
[Link]
%3A_Basic_Principles_of_Organic_Chemistry_(Roberts_and_Caserio)/09%3A_Separation
%2C_Purification%2C_and_Identification_of_Organic_Compounds/
9.01%3A_How_do_we_know_when_an_Organic_Compounds_is_Pure%3F Accessed date
October 9, 2018
[Link]
Accessed date October 10, 2018
[Link]
liquid-phase Accessed date October 11, 2018
