Non-Chemical Vacuum Filter Problems...

[dmarth10]

I was vacuuming off pgms from an AR batch and it seems like the vacuum actually imbeds anything the filter catches deep inside the filter. That makes it hard for me to even wash it out. Any tips or ideas?

 

[Noxx]

hmmm.... you could burn the filter paper ?
Is it a low ash one ?

 

[dmarth10]

Ha,
Im using a coffee filter. I dont think thats low ash. I also have some 9cm papers that came with my vacuum filter setup but I dont know if thats a low ash. How can I tell, just burn them and see? How do you wash off your pm's from papers?

 

[Lino1406]

Without vacuum

 

[Oz]

I’m not sure but I think Harold said something about HCl for removing the ash from incineration. Perhaps he can correct me or elaborate.

 

[Harold_V]

I routinely gave solids a wash in HCl if I expected filtration difficulties. The end results generally justify the extra operation.

I also incinerated between operations, to insure that I had removed all of the nitrates prior to the HCl digest. It's amazing how, regardless of the number of rinses one subjects materials to, there's always a small brown cloud that leaves the solids when heated.

Incineration----the refiner's friend.

Harold