Doug+Cavlert's+Ferro-Fluid+Chemistry+ISU+4

=**Observations**= While working with the chemicals to create the ferrofluid I found them to be quite volatile. the fumes off of the ammonia, kerosene, and oliec acid when mixed seemed to create a type of teargas. The fumes were enough to make your eyes water and to take your breath away. We used the fume hood in the classroom to try to minimize any exposure to the fumes, however there were still moments when i found myself somewhat stunned by the fumes as they crept out of the cracks. As soon as the reaction completed there were 2 layers of fluid. a clear layer and a black layer. I passed a magnet by the beaker to see if the fluid was ferrous, however it was not. I decided to leave the solution to set and possibly separate further. I came back 2 days later to find 4 distinct layers. A black layer on top, a shiny layer below, a gray layer below that and large clear layer below that. I hypothesize that the clear layer was the water and ammonia left over from the reaction. The gray layer atop that was the leftover impurities of the magnetite solution, the shiny layer proved to be the ferrofluid, and the black layer on the very top I believe is the excess kerosene. I began to decant the solution finding that the ferofluid and kerosene had similar density's as they mixed however the water and magnetite solutions were much more dense. decanting the kerosene and the fero-fluid proved to be a hard spectacle to overcome. I devised a way to separate the fluids. I decided I should use the power of magnetism not density to solve the problem.

This setup proved to work perfectly as the ferrofluid sticks to the small beaker and becomes a solid mass due to its properties of magnetism. After a period of time has past I loosen the clamp holding the contraption to the ring stand and I slide it upward. I place the ferrofluid collection beaker under the small beaker and remove the magnets. The ferrofluid becomes liquid and drips into the beaker. EASY! I preformed this about 20 times over 2 days and I collected all of the ferrofluid. I had made real ferrofluid! I poured the ferrofluid onto the spike I had created and hooked up the power leads. the electromagnet started and the fluid climbed the cone. I shut off the power and the fluid poured off of the cone into the basin. It works! I collected all of the ferrofluid into the beaker and cleaned my station. 1 week later I tried to recreate my achievement when I noticed that my ferrofluid had turned into a large gelatinous blob in the bottom of the beaker. I believe that the kerosene had evaporated out of the mixture. That is the end of the project for me as I do not have the resources or time to make more. Thank you for reading my wiki about my attempts to create a working ferrofluid sculpture.

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