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/