In-Reply-To: <005b01cbe394$be572c00$3b058400$**At_Symbol_Here**net>
Potassium, rubidium, and cesium ions are all about the same size and have
very similar chemical properties. These three "heavy" alkali metals
are all oxidized in contact with oxygen to form the superoxide MO2. In
contrast, sodium forms the peroxide, Na2O2, and lithium forms the normal
oxide, Li2O. In the superoxide, each oxygen has a formal oxidation state o
f
-1/2. Potassium superoxide, KO2, is yellow and is VERY shock sensitive.
There were some very bad accidents in the past. Rubidium superoxide, RbO2,
should have identical properties.
So, be very careful about letting air or even solvents saturated with
air/oxygen in contact with the metallic rubidium.
Wayne Wolsey
Professor Emeritus,
Macalester College
St. Paul, MN
On Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 11:43 PM, Laurence Doemeny wrote
:
> I=92ve never used Rubidium but you may want to contact
> http://www.espimetals.com/index.php for their advice and a MSDS. They
> look like a good place to start.
>
>
>
> *From:* DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] *On Behalf
> Of *Johnson, Amy Carr
> *Sent:* Tuesday, March 15, 2011 1:14 PM
> *To:* DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
> *Subject:* [DCHAS-L] Rubidium Question
>
>
>
> We have researchers here who would like to clean out rubidium that has
> accumulated in a laser chamber currently filled with argon. The rubidium
> has been building up for awhile in the chamber, and the lab users are
> concerned about it interfering with their experiments. They want to remov
e a
> device from the chamber that has the rubidium build-up on it, and then cl
ean
> it separately from the chamber. We suggested using a glovebag, but we ar
e
> not sure if we can fit this around the chamber in an airtight fashion.
>
>
>
> One of the options that the researchers proposed was to oxidize the
> rubidium slowly, rendering it inert, perhaps using IPA.
>
>
>
> Does anyone have comments about this suggestion? Or, any other ideas or
> experience with rubidium re exposure to air?
>
>
>
> Thank you
>
Potassium, rubidium, and cesium ions are all about the same size and have v
ery similar chemical properties. These three "heavy" alkali metal
s
are all oxidized in contact with oxygen to form the superoxide=A0 MO2.
In contrast, sodium forms the peroxide, Na2O2, and lithium forms the norma
l oxide, Li2O.=A0 In the superoxide, each oxygen has a formal oxidation sta
te of -1/2.=A0 Potassium superoxide, KO2, is yellow and is VERY shock sensi
tive. There were some very bad accidents in the past.=A0 Rubidium superoxid
e, RbO2, should have identical properties.
So, be very careful about letting air or even solvents saturated with a
ir/oxygen in contact with the metallic rubidium.
Wayne Wolsey
Pro
fessor Emeritus,
Macalester College
St. Paul, MN
On Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 11:43 PM, Laurence Doemeny
<ldoemeny**At_Symbol_Here**cox.net> wrote:
I=92ve never used Rubidium but
you may want to contact http://www.espimetals.com/index.php for their advice an
d a MSDS.=A0 They look like a good place to start.
We have researchers here who would like
=A0to clean out rubidium that has accumulated in a laser chamber currently
filled with argon.=A0 The rubidium has been building up for awhile in the
chamber, and the lab users are concerned about it interfering with their ex
periments. They want to remove a device from the chamber that has the rubid
ium build-up on it, and then clean it separately from the chamber.=A0 We su
ggested using a glovebag, but we are not sure if we can fit this around the
chamber in an airtight fashion.
=A0
One of the options that the researchers proposed was to =A0oxid
ize the rubidium slowly, rendering it inert, perhaps using IPA.=A0
=A0
Does anyone have comments about this suggesti
on?=A0 Or, any other ideas or experience with rubidium re exposure to air?<
/p>
=A0
Thank you
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