Purify Silicon Dioxide From Sand

One of my subscribers mentioned this to me a while back, so I finally got around to it. I demonstrate how to purify sand to silicon dioxide for use in future projects. If you enjoyed this video, check out some of my others and drop a like and subscribe for more!
Some activities demonstrated in this video may be dangerous to replicate and should NOT be attempted by individuals at home. While chemistry is very enjoyable, safety must always be number one concern and doing research is very important before trying the reactions themselves. This video is solely intended for educational purposes and should not be replicated in any way shape or form at home.
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[@Metal_Master_YT]

I would recommend taking a magnet to your sand before you try to purify it with acid, you can remove a lot of the iron with this step, meaning you will need less acid, and will have less total impurities. next, I would use a classifier or strainer (sifter) whatever you call it, to only keep the finest particles, which will have spent the most time crashing on the shore, and getting ground down. this means that any quartz crystals or other silica minerals wont be stuck to impurity minerals, this step will make them easier to separate. next, I would crush the already fine sand into a much finer powder, to expose all the surfaces and increase surface area, so that the acid can more effectively dissolve the impurities. I would also recommend heating the acid and stirring the solution for a while so as to encourage full dissolution of impurities. after rinsing thoroughly, I would add 20-30% H2O2 to remove organic material, or alternatively add H2O2 and also a little sulfuric acid to make some piranha solution, which should remove basically anything that's not silica, although it's a more dangerous option. if you had fairly pure sand to start with, you might not even have to purify this any further after using this method. likely remaining impurities: titania, alumina

[@DeliciousDeBlair]

Sodium silicate can ALSO be used for Aerogel, as well as custom forming glass lenses, or other formed shapes, and thermally expanded glass foam [add slightly damp syrup/paste to metal or ceramic parts before putting into high temp oven to get results]. Conversely, you can mix SiO2 with borax to make borosilicate glass, and you can add other ingredients to make other customizable forms of glass.

[@Migueldeservantes]

Thank you much for the information, In honesty! I spend all this time paying attn to this youngster!! "I do use water-glass mixed with sand for complex molds "Metal casting" and thought may be this is a way to make more pure material..

[@taboosaboo]

This is the best chemistry video I've seen on KZbin. You are perfect. The perfect blend of technical scientific knowledge and just at home.

[@XerxesZangeneh]

Thank you, I actually wanted to do the same thing over Christmas break and I was amazed to see you were doing the same! I'm sure this step will guarantee me a lot more purity. Loved the vid, keep it up!

[@TheCanadianChemist]

good luck! thanks a lot!

[@thecrudelab3204]

MAN THIS GUY IS SO SMART!!! HE DESERVES MORE SUBS THAN THIS!!!

[@jhyland87]

Great video man. I was just purifying sand by washing it with conc HCl then H2SO4/H2O2, but going the other direction (alkali instead of acid) may be the way to go. Thanks!

[@erwinrommel9509]

The product that precipitated upon HCl addition is SiO2 not Silicic acid... the silicic acid breaks down into SiO2 and H2O immediately upon formation This is similar to how carbonic acid breaks down into CO2 and H2O upon acidification of a carbonate soln

[@ssadfadsfad]

This is not true, silicic acid can exist if the pH of the solution is within 2-3

[@Kyle-sg4rm]

This could be worth revisiting as well! It would be interesting to see if you could make Silicic acid oleogel, hydrogel, or alcogel. The oleogel sounds very interesting indeed and may be similar to an oil paint mixture made with boiled linseed oil/linseed stand oil and fumed silica, which is reportedly more clear and durable than when omitting the silica. There are many potential applications for it. And also is possible (for homemade/off-grid production) to use the strongest Acetic acid that you can make (through distillation, or freeze distillation) for both initial purification of the sand and for the precipitation of Silicic acid, instead of the Hydrochloric acid. Again, i'm sure I read somewhere that finer grades of Silicic acid could be precipitated by using a weaker acid such as Acetic acid. You would probably want your Sodium silicate well boiled down, nearly dry, or dry because of the larger amounts of water, based on how strong your Acetic acid is. And am I correct in saying that pure Silicic acid (washed/filtered) isn't really an acid, because upon heating only water is released and only Silicon dioxide remains?

[@DeliciousDeBlair]

In murikuh they have been removing all these goodies off the store shelves any more. THANKFULLY you can STILL get baking soda! SOME DAY they will take that from us as well.

[@JoeSmith-nq7rh]

In Canada I am surprised they still allow people to buy matches do to the P and KCl3

[@tradward]

Try living in Australia, I'm surprised sand hasnt been regulated yet.

[@thecrudelab3204]

rip fly you will be forever missed :'I

[@dkresponder]

Cannot you just dissolve the sand in NaOH solution and then precipitate it with HCl? Without all the fusion steps which seem quite dangerous!

[@leo959]

word of advice instead of using a coffee filter use the smallest hole strainer you can find, the holes are bigger. then when thats strained out. then u can use a coffee filter. this wont take days to filter but only minutes. yourwelcome

[@sficlassic]

How about a little better lighting ?

[@TheCanadianChemist]

this is one of my older videos, I recently got really good lights. from now on lighting will be no issue. :)

[@hilmiakgunlu1036]

2. Reply

[@joeestes8114]

Why don't you remake this video with your new lighting, I can't see a blooming thing that your doing!

[@TheCanadianChemist]

Yeah, it’s definitely on my list of things to do 😂

[@joeestes8114]

@@TheCanadianChemist I still like your videos you work really hard and your videos have come a long way! Thanks for sharing

[@Ahamshep]

Good work mate. I miss those big NaOH jugs you can buy at Home Hardware.

[@hilmiakgunlu1036]

1. Reply

[@JoeSmith-nq7rh]

You can still get some at the Homehardware where I live. You can also buy or order it from Rona.

[@sparrowgryphonarchive1864]

They are still listed on the website, I was going to order some later this month. Still shopping around for a good source of NO3, guessing stump remover for aquariums.

[@darcam]

Good job, just be safe.

[@giansieger8687]

The Canadian Chemist likes to say „which is kinda interesting“, which is kinda interesting

[@farhanaahmad408]

Great work bro. Btw I am wondering where is your camera as you are using your both hands....may be you have that small camera which could be fixed on shirt button

[@oscarkilligan5711]

Can you use that in a water filter to purify water?

[@recicladoradelsurpinto562]

Hey realy good man one cuestion i hope you can help me out im working on getting out gold out off e-wast but im using smb but got a problem with the ph since the ph meter is $$$ but can you use ferrous sulfate do you still have to level the ph ? Hey and i woudl like to see how to process mlcc can tou send me some tips .zink is hard to get here any thing else to drop the paladium

[@garybrandon871]

please what is the name of this process???

[@raghavsood6156]

Is the result a purified silicon wafer or melt?

[@my2centz196]

Wouldn't hurt to turn on some lights either lol

[@lens3973]

I know why even film when it's pitch black, lol. JUST USE A LIGHT

[@FrugalGarden]

You can melt the lye and a use electrolysis to make sodium metal

[@TheCanadianChemist]

I know, That is how I got my sodium sample, I just need to do a video on it now. :)

[@terminator761]

piano and science guy would be awsome👍

[@TheCanadianChemist]

#tester6464sucksatgaming I'll try to do it as soon as possible:)

[@hilmiakgunlu1036]

4. Reply

[@danielborbolla4677]

how diluted was your fly solution? i have 1 fly in 100ml would that be strong enough?

[@ssadfadsfad]

It is better to add the acid in smaller intervals, I'd recommend using a titration setup to do so. And using a stirrer bar will prevent silica gel (not silicic acid precipitate, as you have stated) from forming as heavily. Na2SiO3 + HCl is a 1:1 reaction, thus you can use your acid density to find the vol. required from your sodium silicate soln. and add by 1-3mL while stirring until soln. is saturated

[@ssadfadsfad]

Keep pH under 3 to prevent silicic acid decomp to water and silica

[@cakebuu887]

Insoluble metal silicates ? Don't they put this in food ?

[@jasonlogan5765]

Should put the fly in a chemical equation lol

Funny how fly flesh has valuable acid

[@aaronreash814]

this is a video i saw prob a year ago how to easy make sodium silicate short of going through lye and SiO2 crystals process from crystal kitty litter or silica packets ( house hold source if you need get it later)

[@louizaguerguer5369]

if possible use quartz rock for extraction pur silicon dioxide

[@beeblaine539]

Aluminates would also move through this making the final product highly contaminated with alumina

[@beeblaine539]

So make sure when you neutralize it to add extra acid to redissolve the precipitated al(OH)3 to aluminum chloride while the H4SiO4 would precipitate

[@raghavsood6156]

Are you teaching us how to make a pure silicon wafer?

[@Jkauppa]

how about molten electrolysis, to pure metals

[@RinaldiMeteoric]

I know that the silicate have to be extremely pure to make a transistor but could you do it by "hand"? may be hitting it up in a chamber turning it to gas and deplete it on a plate?

[@Leadvest]

If I remember correctly, commercial semiconductor silicon is refined with carbon pyrolysis, and then purified in a process that takes longer than a decade.

[@pulsartgaming4213]

Or you could make silicon tetrachloride which is extremely pure silicon once it comes into contact with water it makes sio2

[@SapioiT]

It would be interesting to see how one could make waterglass with only medieval levels of technology and available materials, For example, instead of hydrochloric acid, you could use vinegar or high-concentration / high-proof ethanol (alcohol), lye instead of sodium hydroxide, and name the video "how to make medieval waterglass from sand" or something similar. And, if you want to go a step further, in a different video use the waterglass to make lenses which to coat with resin or wax for waterproofing, and use those to make a microscope and maybe also a telescope (you can check out "catadioptric telescope" images and the video "Why is this Space Telescope so Tiny?" by "Huygens Optics").

[@arkanjo7509]

thanks

[@ancapftw9113]

Should have added the baking soda to the HCl and NaCl mix. The only reaction would make more NaCl, O2, and CO2. Table salt, water, and baking soda is perfectly safe.

[@alpergokcek6756]

Is this final product have piezoelectric properties?

[@TheCanadianChemist]

I didn't test... how exactly would you test? the silicon dioxide is powdered, so I don't even know if it would do anything... piezoelectricity I think is generated in quartz crystals due to the full crystal, but because this is powdered, it may not work. I don't know... do you have any thoughts?

[@user-dp5sr4qq5o]

When you add acid use ph paper at 7

[@magnuswootton6181]

HES GOT SAND GLUE!!!!!

[@b92555]

Why not start with diatomaceous earth. Pool section at the Home Depot.

[@TheCanadianChemist]

is diatomaceous earth pure silicon dioxide? or just powdered impure silicon dioxide?

[@Rhodanide]

Also, you can make Silane with this :D

[@TheCanadianChemist]

I know, I plan to make a video eventually on the reaction of silicon dioxide and magnesium producing magnesium silicide, then reacting it with hydrochloric acid to produce silane gas.

[@Rhodanide]

The Canadian Chemist SiO2 is pretty mundane stuff, but there's an exciting side to everything! Except cream of wheat. Edit: I'm talking original CoW.

[@user-gm5gj4jd6d]

I think the reaction in the jar could be some soidum hydroxide reacting with the glass

[@TheCanadianChemist]

I don't think so, solutions of NaOH are not super corrosive to glass, even when hot, you could leave it boiling for several days, and the glass would most likely still look clear. The jar was unscathed and totally fine, I'm sure the glass wasn't dissolved a whole lot. Although, you are right... Sodium hydroxide will dissolve glass, but aqueous solutions dissolve it unnoticeably slowly. :)

[@terrymaker4781]

I know this is a bit late but another possible source for the heat would be the dissolving of the sodium silicate in water. This is also very energetic, releasing a lot of heat.

[@TheCanadianChemist]

oh, thanks!

[@thecrudelab3204]

Theoretically it should work with baking soda too

[@philthompson9633]

Hint ….your filter setup Doesn’t Vent, making filtering So Slow! Use a funnel

[@thecrudelab3204]

there is no home depot near duniden :'I

[@BurkenProductions]

Now can you make a solar cell from this silicon dioxide??

[@TheCanadianChemist]

I’ve actually not looked into solar cells a lot. I think it could be a fun project for the future though. I’ll take a look into it. Thanks!

[@lens3973]

What are you calling silicic acid? The formula you gave is for a theoretical compound that has never been isolated.

[@Rhodanide]

RIP fly u will be miss :(

[@TheCanadianChemist]

lol

[@hilmiakgunlu1036]

2. Reply

[@MrEbenezer13]

Sorry for asking but what are the uses for silicone dioxide? What's it good for?

[@TheCanadianChemist]

i used it to make sodium silicat for a reaction called the chemical garden. It is also used to make glass, and for the synthesis of elemental silicon, and a few other applictaions

[@MrEbenezer13]

Alright, thanks for getting back to me. But are there any other uses for it in say, pyrotechnics or explosives or any other cool stuff? 😃

[@TheCanadianChemist]

you can use it in a thermite mix with aluminium to produce elemental silicon and aluminium oxide, it is similar to a traditional thermite mix, that is the only pyrotechnic use I can think for it.

[@MrEbenezer13]

Awesome! :-D Cheers bro!

[@manishpujara4214]

solar plate

[@TheControlPhilosopher]

You might have done well to watch the pH at the stage of adding HCl & later.

[@3daypriest]

Your equation at about 5:00 shows the water being produced as a gas. Not true.

[@edrimeikis9270]

Dude, you need to up your safety game. Melting NaOH and not wearing PPE is very dangerous.

[@issamqalajy5342]

So don't have a light or woody tourch at least

[@lincolndog9321]

I LOve SCIENCE

[@FrugalGarden]

Please don't see that long word again . I suffer from hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia the fear of long words

[@taboosaboo]

Did You mean HyperMonoTypStresSequintiapediaPhobeia?

[@3daypriest]

You just guess when you don’t know. But on the upside, guessing let’s you use chemical terminology, even if it isn’t used properly. Or your guesses are wildly off. ‘Most likely’.

[@FrugalGarden]

Telleruim from cds

[@TheCanadianChemist]

I know, I have a plan to do this... I just need to find time and get a bunch of cds. Then it should be fun! I may recover the gallium also!

[@jadeblades]

@@TheCanadianChemist make sure you dont touch it!

[@thehowtochannel7571]

Video far too dark

[@hilmiakgunlu1036]

70. Comment

[@sergeyzhigin9554]

да будет свет