Scientific Mishaps

Escafeldia · #1 (**permalink**) 01-09-2006, 12:46 PM

At one point I spent about 12 months working as a Senior Technician in our local red brick university. The job was OK except that I knew next to nothing about Metallurgy or sample preparation. The job entailed looking after a couple of laboratories, one of which was an Electron Microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope Laboratory. I soon got the hang of Hardenss Testing, specimen preparation and optical photomicrography. The Electron Microscope was an up,to date, at the time, EM6 type which had a high electron accelerating voltage for metal thin film transmission microscopy. I wasn't too happy, being a qualified Chemist, and there was little scope in the way of advancement The final straw, which broke the camels back, was when I heard two Lecturers, both PhD types and good at the theory, discussing drying a Carbon Dioxide gas flow for a detector on the SEM. They wanted to use Concentrated Sulphuric acid (God help us!) and were talking about the acid precipitating Carbon in the drying apparatus. That did it - I found a job at an Engineering Company as a Chemist, later to become a qualified Metallurgist as well, and I stayed there for 36 years.

Sorry about the technical stuff but I think Jezer will know what I am on about. A PhD doesn't neccessarily improve common sense.

**Jezer** · #2 (**permalink**) 01-09-2006, 12:51 PM

I'm lost- I did Pharmacology and Biochemistry!

Karston · #3 (**permalink**) 01-09-2006, 12:58 PM

Hey I did Maths & Physics I understood the EM stuff but with the conc sulphurics he's got me scratching! Doesn't it just produce a high pressure corrosive gas?

**Jezer** · #4 (**permalink**) 01-09-2006, 01:06 PM

I got just a couple of drops of Conc Nitric Acid on my leg once- the skin was smoking nicely.

Escafeldia · #5 (**permalink**) 01-09-2006, 01:14 PM

Sorry folks - I should have known better. The answer is that Carbon Dioxide is an Acidic Gas. Sulphuric Acid will dry it with no problem - the only thing is you don't use it if you can use something else. The spray from the bubbling would corrode the detector. No Carbon or anything else would be precipitated. It is normal GCE Chemistry stuff.

Escafeldia · #6 (**permalink**) 01-09-2006, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jezer

I got just a couple of drops of Conc Nitric Acid on my leg once- the skin was smoking nicely.

Would this have helped?

Karston · #7 (**permalink**) 01-09-2006, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Escafeldia

Sorry folks - I should have known better. The answer is that Carbon Dioxide is an Acidic Gas. Sulphuric Acid will dry it with no problem - the only thing is you don't use it if you can use something else. The spray from the bubbling would corrode the detector. No Carbon or anything else would be precipitated. It is normal GCE Chemistry stuff.

Made nitroglycerine once in Chemistry at school but that was long, long ago and Chemistry turned out to be my worst A 'level grade! I'm surprised kids are allowed to play with conc sulphuric these days, they banned mercury just as I left!

Angela · #8 (**permalink**) 01-09-2006, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Escafeldia

At one point I spent about 12 months working as a Senior Technician in our local red brick university. The job was OK except that I knew next to nothing about Metallurgy or sample preparation. The job entailed looking after a couple of laboratories, one of which was an Electron Microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope Laboratory. I soon got the hang of Hardenss Testing, specimen preparation and optical photomicrography. The Electron Microscope was an up,to date, at the time, EM6 type which had a high electron accelerating voltage for metal thin film transmission microscopy. I wasn't too happy, being a qualified Chemist, and there was little scope in the way of advancement The final straw, which broke the camels back, was when I heard two Lecturers, both PhD types and good at the theory, discussing drying a Carbon Dioxide gas flow for a detector on the SEM. They wanted to use Concentrated Sulphuric acid (God help us!) and were talking about the acid precipitating Carbon in the drying apparatus. That did it - I found a job at an Engineering Company as a Chemist, later to become a qualified Metallurgist as well, and I stayed there for 36 years.

Sorry about the technical stuff but I think Jezer will know what I am on about. A PhD doesn't neccessarily improve common sense.

LOL last time I used concentrated sulph acid was mixing it with magnesium ribbon...............to make hydrogen and blow the lid off the lab...........lol they didn't consider me quite so blonde after that little episode! She knew her stuff lol A xx

**Jezer** · #9 (**permalink**) 01-09-2006, 02:05 PM

So that's why you went abroad?

Angela · #10 (**permalink**) 01-09-2006, 02:58 PM

LOl Yep in the protection programme now!! Protection AGAINST me lol.......A xx