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Synthesis of Prussian Blue

This document provides instructions for synthesizing Prussian Blue, including a list of materials needed and safety notes. Students will make Prussian Blue by mixing solutions of iron (III) chloride and potassium ferrocyanide, which will react to form a blue precipitate. The precipitate will then be filtered and dried.

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Maria Anghelache
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174 views

Synthesis of Prussian Blue

This document provides instructions for synthesizing Prussian Blue, including a list of materials needed and safety notes. Students will make Prussian Blue by mixing solutions of iron (III) chloride and potassium ferrocyanide, which will react to form a blue precipitate. The precipitate will then be filtered and dried.

Uploaded by

Maria Anghelache
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Synthesis of Prussian Blue

Materials:
Item Amount per student Amount for 24 students
Iron (III) Chloride (FeCl3) 4g 96 g
Potassium Ferrocyanide (K4[Fe(CN)6]) 1.5 g 36 g
Filter paper 1 24

Equipment:
Item Amount per student Amount for 24 students
Buchner funnel 1 24
Filter flask 1 6
Tubing 1 6
Filter-vac rubber rings (for suction flasks) 1 6
Scissors 1 12

Staff Notes: Please set up the aspirators prior to class.


Safety Notes:
• FeCl3 is an irritant (used to deodorize sewage!) and is hygroscopic. Please keep the bottle
tightly capped.
•

Procedure:
1. Prepare a saturated solution of iron (III) chloride by placing 3.7 g FeCl3 in a small beaker
with 5 mL distilled water. Use a graduated cylinder to measure the volume of water you
used. Stir to dissolve.
2. Separately, prepare a saturated solution of potassium ferrocyanide by placing 1.39 g
K4[Fe(CN)6] in another beaker with 5 mL distilled water. Describe the appearance of these
solutions in your LNJ.
3. Make the Prussian Blue by pouring the potassium ferrocyanide solution into the beaker with
the ferric chloride solution. Stir with a glass rod. Describe in your notebook EXACTLY
what you see happen when the solutions are mixed.
4. Obtain filter paper that fits the Buchner funnel (so it lays flat in the bottom). Set up the
aspirator by connecting a piece of tubing from the little side-arm on the filter flask to the
similar arm sticking out from the side of the faucet. Put the neck of the Buchner funnel
through a Filter-vac rubber ring, then seat it into the top of the filter flask. If your filter flask
is small, you may want to clamp it into place.
5. Turn on the faucet to create suction. Then pour your reaction mixture into the funnel.
Scrape the entire blue product into the funnel: use a little distilled water to rinse the beaker.
6. Once the liquid has all drained into the flask, gently remove the hose from the filter flask to
break the suction. Turn off the water. Put your filter paper on a few paper towels inside your
lab drawer, and let your Prussian Blue dry until the next lab period. Describe the appearance
of the pigment, both while it is wet and after it dries.

Reflections:
1. Write the reaction that is proceeding in this synthesis.
2. Find several other purposes for this substance, besides as a colorant in paints.

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