# Polyprolene lab equipment



## Anonymous (Feb 5, 2008)

Will this stuff take the acids used for refining? wanted to asked before I buy.

thanks

Jim


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## Absolutsecurity (Feb 6, 2008)

High density HDPE is ok for tranfer but I prefer glass for anything else!

low density LDPE is good for water and dry goods!

Glynn


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## Lou (Feb 6, 2008)

You can make it acid resistant by giving it a quick rinse with some concentrated HF. Makes a fluorocarbon layer.


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## Irons (Feb 6, 2008)

Lou said:


> You can make it acid resistant by giving it a quick rinse with some concentrated HF. Makes a fluorocarbon layer.



There's a novel idea.


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## Anonymous (Feb 6, 2008)

thanks, I figured they wouldn't work since they are cheap. I will just buy glass.

Jim


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## Irons (Feb 6, 2008)

HCl/Cl seems to work best diluted with water and at room temperature or below. I've found that under those conditions, even LDPE works well. If it begins to get stiff over time, it's time to replace it. I've been using some Arizona Ice tea gallon jugs all Winter and they show no sign of deterioration at the concentrations I use.
For less than 3 bucks, you can drink the tea and have a useful reaction vessel. If you insist on heating them, always use a water bath and remember that thermoplastics soften with heat.
Always make sure the top is loose, otherwise...well..you can guess. 

I have some expensive 24/40 glassware that I use for fancy work but I won't damage them with abrasive materials when cheap plastic does the job well for the first cut.

Everything but the squeal.


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## Irons (Feb 6, 2008)

james122964 said:


> Will this stuff take the acids used for refining? wanted to asked before I buy.
> 
> thanks
> 
> Jim



If I was going to buy plastic lab ware, I would spend the extra money on Polycarbonate or fluorocarbon.


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## Absolutsecurity (Feb 6, 2008)

Id just buy Labglass or similar and not worry about it - I have had floaty problems with HDPE before so I stick to lab grade apparatus and try to stick to reagent and tech grade chems - I have noticed less contamination and drag down using good quality chemicals and labware - but to each his own! 

What ever fits ones budget right! :roll: 

G


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## Anonymous (Feb 6, 2008)

I am doing scrap that is mostly silver 99 percent and not a lot of volume which is leading me to try and keep the cost as low as possible.


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## Absolutsecurity (Feb 6, 2008)

I just finished processing 50+ pounds of plating media and recovered 7 + pounds of refined 99.+ silver and I used glass apperatus for all of it, tech grade nitric acid (used 14 pounds (two bottles)) and only broke one 2000ml griffen beaker and that was when I was washing it after the last batch - I used a 3000ml flat bottom boiling flask for my reaction vessel and used a 3000ml and 2000ml griffen to cement in. I started off with small flasks and beakers to start with and after I was very comfortable I ramped up to 9 pound batches and processed the 50+ pounds in my spare time after work. I saved all my spent solution and rinse waters in plastic 5 gallon buckets and introduced HCL to recover any silver missed in the early cementing learning stages and have 5 pounds of silver chloride to reduce now. I cemented all my copper + the copper plate that was on the media with scrap iron and have 7+ pounds of copper recovered also. 

I have around 40 pounds of used to be silver now gold plated steel balls that are presently soaking in HCL and I am using a 2.5 gallon plastic bucket for that - at present they are showing a nice amount of loose gold flakes.

Do it right and do it safe - a dollar spent now instead of a penny will save your life and could very well increase your refining and recovery results.

Glynn


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## Anonymous (Feb 6, 2008)

excellent. I only have a couple of lbs of contacts and it takes me a while to get them, about 1 lb every month or so. I do have some high value stuff but do not feel that I know enough to try refining it yet, I am just saving that for the day. I am mostly hoping to clean my low grade silver as part of the learning process.


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## Absolutsecurity (Feb 6, 2008)

You seem to be aproaching this in the right mind set! 
Just don't throw anything away - you can always get it out of solution unless you dispose of it then its gone. If you need any help the guys on this forum are usually there to help at least in the begining! LoL!

I spent a lot of time asking questions and reading every post I could manage to read on this forum - a few guys helped me out and a few guys still help me out!

Keep a cool head and don't hesitate to ask when you think you need to or know you should.

Glynn


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