Tips for Effectively Cleaning Your Platinum Crucible

by Redthermo - 2022-12-26

Cleaning A Platinum Crucible

It can be a daunting task. It's important to take the right steps to ensure your crucible is clean and free of any impurities, as this will prevent unwanted contamination when using it. Here are some essential guidelines on how to properly clean your platinum crucible.

Cleaning a platinum crucible after use is quite easy. Simply rinse it with deionized water and then dry it with a soft cloth or paper towel. To further sanitize your crucible, you can place it in an oven for about 30 minutes at 850°C. This should help remove any residue from the inside of the container. Do not overheat the platinum as this could damage its structure, causing it to become volatile and diminish its value.

When cleaning a platinum crucible, it is important to remember that platinum is easily alloyed with other metals when heated. As such, the crucible must be placed on a non-metallic surface such as ceramic, clay, quartz or an electric furnace with asbestos sheets while avoiding contact with any metal. Additionally, the clamp used should have a platinum head to avoid contamination. If necessary, a nickel or stainless steel clamp can be used at low temperatures.

Cleaning a platinum crucible requires special attention. Begin by treating the spots with hydrochloric or nitric acid, separately. If that does not work, melt-process the spotted crucible in another platinum vessel at a low temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. After pouring out the molten materials, use hydrochloric acid again to treat the spot. Failing that, try using sodium carbonate melt treatment. As a final option, gently rub wet fine sand (passing through 100 mesh sieve) onto the area, though this may lead to slight platinum loss.

Cleaning a platinum crucible is a simple process that involves the use of indicator papers. Specifically, pH indicator papers should be used with very acidic solvents such as hydrochloric and sulfuric acids in order to determine if the crucible is ready for use or not. The process begins by dipping the paper into the solution and then into the platinum crucible. If the paper turns yellow, it indicates that more cleaning is needed and thus, additional solvents should be added until no change in color occurs.