Chemistry

Project
On
Preparation of
Alum from scrap
aluminium
Submitted to
Submitted by
__________

___________

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and
deep regards to my teacher

for his exemplary

guidance, monitoring and constant encouragement throughout

the course of this project. The blessing, help and guidance
given by him time to time shall carry me a long way in the
journey of life on which I am about to embark.
I also take this opportunity to express a deep sense of
gratitude to my college for giving me the opportunity to carry
out this project.
Lastly, I thank almighty, my parents, sister and friends for
their constant encouragement without which this project
would not be possible.

Index

1) Introduction
2) Aim
3) Theory
4) Reactions
5) Procedure
6) Observations
7) Result
8) Bibliography
9) Photo Gallery

Introduction
Aluminium because of its low density, high tensile strength and
resistance and resistance to corrosions widely used for the
manufacture of aeroplanes, Automobiles lawn furniture as well as for
aluminium cans. Being good conductor of electricity it is used for
transmission of electricity. Aluminium is also used for making
utensils. The recycling of aluminium cans and other aluminium
products is a very positive contribution to saving our natural
resources. Most of the recycled aluminium is melted and recast into
other aluminium metal products or used in the production of various
aluminium compounds, the most common of which are the alums.
Alums are double sulphates having general

Formula
X2SO4.M2(SO4)3.24H2O

Some important alums and their names are given below:

K2SO4.Al2(SO4)3.24H2O - Potash Alum
Na2SO4.Al2(SO4)3.24H2O - Soda Alum
K2SO4.Cr2(SO4)3.24H2O - Chrome Alum
(NH)2SO4.Fe2(SO4)3.24H2O - Ferric Alum

Potash alum is used in papermaking, in fire. Extinguishers in food

stuffs and in purification of water soda alum used in baking powders
and chrome alum is used in tanning leather and water proofing
fabrics.

Aim

To prepare potash alum from aluminium scrap

Requirements
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

250 ml flask
Funnel
Beaker
Scrap aluminium or cola can
Potassium hydroxide solution (KOH)
6 M Sulphuric Acid (H2SO4)
Water bath
Ethanol

Theory
Aluminum metal is treated with hot aqueous KOH solution.
Aluminium dissolves as potassium aluminate, KAl(OH)4 salt.
2Al(s) + 2KOH(aq) + 6H2O(l)

2KAl(OH)4 (aq) + 3H2

Potassium aluminate solution on treatment with dil sulphuric

acid first gives precipitate Al(OH)3, which dissolves on
addition of small excess of H2SO4 and heating.
2KOH(aq) + H2SO4(aq)

2Al(OH)3 (s) + K2SO4(aq) + 2H2O(l)

2Al(OH)3 (s) + 3 H2SO4(aq)

Al2(SO4)3(aq) +6H2O(l)

The resulting solution is concentrated to near saturation and

cooled. On cooling crystals of potash alum crystallize out.
K2SO4(aq) + Al2(SO4)3(aq) + 24H2O(l )

K2SO4.Al2(SO4)3 +
24H2O(s)

Reactions
2Al(s) + 2KOH (aq) + 6H2O(l)

2KAl(OH)4 (aq) + 3H2

K2SO4(aq) + Al2(SO4)3(aq) + 24H2O(l)

K2SO4.Al2(SO4)3 +

24H2O(s)
2Al(OH)3 (s) + 3 H2SO4(aq)

Al2(SO4)3(aq) +6H2O(l)

2KOH(aq) + H2SO4(aq)

2Al(OH)3 (s) + K2SO4(aq) + 2H2O(l)

K2SO4(aq)+Al2(SO4)3(aq)+24H2O(l)
K2SO4.Al2(SO4)3.24H2O(s)

Procedure
1. Clean a small piece of scrap aluminium with steel wool and cut it into
very small pieces. Aluminium foil may be taken instead of scrap
aluminium.

2. Put the small pieces of scrap aluminium or aluminium foil(about

1.00g) into a conical flask and add about 50 ml of 4 M KOH solution
to dissolve the aluminium.
3. The flask may be heated gently in order to facilitate dissolution. Since
during this step hydrogen gas is evolved this step must be done in a
well-ventilated area.
4. Continue heating until all of the aluminium reacts.
5. Filter the solution to remove any insoluble impurities and reduce the
volume to about 25 ml by heating.
6. Allow the filtrate to cool. Now add slowly 6 M H2SO4 until insoluble
Al(OH)3 just forms in the solution.
7. Gently heat the mixture until the Al(OH)3 precipitate dissolves.
8. Cool the resulting solution in an ice-bath for about 30 minutes
whereby alum crystals should separate out. For better results the
solution may be left overnight for crystallization to continue.
9. In case crystals do not form the solution may be further concentrated
and cooled again.
10.
Filter the crystals from the solution using vacuum pump, wash
the crystals with 50/50 ethanol-water mixture.
11.
Continue applying the vacuum until the crystals appear dry.
12.
Determine the mass of alum crystals.

Observations
After rubbing aluminium can becomes shiny like silver colour. After
adding KOH to 250 mL beaker containing aluminium chips, it starts
bubbling.
After placing on hot plate it starts bubbling vigorously and the KOH
solution turns grey in colour.

 The aluminium chips were visible for few minutes but with
continuous heating it starts dissolving into solution.
The content turns into black in colour due to impurities like paint and
plastics.
H2 gas was evolving continuously and silver colour aluminium chip
turn white.
After taking back beaker from hot plate, the content starts cooling and
visible chips were dissolving and the whole contents turns black.
After the vacuum filtration process the content becomes clear.
Dissolved content containing aluminium is transparent and colourless.
While adding 9 M H2SO4 to the content, the content slowly turns into
white colour cloud.
After adding whole 20 mL of H2SO4 the content becomes white in
colour and with continuous stirring, the white cloud disappears.
The content wasnt clear so we put it on hot plate and after placing it
on hot plate the content slowly turns clear and transparent.
After 10 minutes the whole solution turns clear.
After 12 minutes, there was formation of crystals (white colour). The
white colour crystals look like clouds.
After pouring the crystals for filtration, there was no change but
specific smell was coming out.
After rinsing the beaker with ethanol there was no change. The
crystals are purely white and looks like snow and common salt
shaped.
The filter flask was partially filled with white colour solution.
The while colour Alum was ready at end.

Mass of Aluminium used = 1.07 g

Molar Mass of Aluminium = 26.98 g / moles

Number of moles Al =

Mass of Al (g)
Molar mass of Al (g/ moles)

Number of moles Al = 1.07 g / 26.98 (g / moles)

= 0.0397 moles
Since, 2 moles of Aluminium gives 2 moles of Alum. So, there is
ration of 1:1 .
Numbers of moles of Alum = 0.0397 moles
Molar mass of Alum = 474.39 g / mole
Mass of Alum yielded = Number of moles * Molar mass of Alum
Mass of Alum yield = 0.0397 moles * 474.39 (g / mole)
= 18.83 g
% yield = (Actual yield (g) / Theoretical yield (g)) * 100
= (14.14 g / 18.83 g) *100
= 75.1 %

Mass weighing bottle +

12.11 g

Aluminium
Mass of weighing bottle

11.04 g

Mass of aluminium

1.07 g

Concentration and volume

3 M and 20

of KOH
Concentration and volume

mL
9 M and 20

of H2SO4

mL

Mass weighing bottle and

25.18 g

Alum
Mass of weighing bottle

11.04 g

Mass of Alum

14.14 g

Result
Potash alum was prepared from aluminium Scrap

Bibliography
Wikipedia
Chemicalland.com
Google

PHOTO GALLERY