Coolant: the chemistry experiment! |
Aims:
1. to determine whether mixing 'green' and 'blue' coolant would result in
precipitation
2. to determine whether mixing the coolants would alter the boiling point
Methods & materials:
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25ml Superplus 3 antifreeze - call it 'A'
25ml Blue OAT-based coolant - call it 'B'
London tap water ;o)
Dilute 'A' and 'B' 50:50 v/v with water. Call it 'C'.
London tap water 'control' - call this 'D'
Coolant mixes heated in 100ml Pyrex™ beaker with blow torch (thought I'd better
not use the Smeg™ hob LOL ;o)). When boiling, measure temperature with a mercury
thermometer.
Results:
Observations
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'A' actually appears yellow, with a green
tinge, especially to its meniscus. Good clarity and transparent, albeit with
yellow colouration.
'B' was blue. Good clarity and transparent.
When 'A' and 'B' were mixed, 50:50, the result was, unsurprisingly, a bilious
green concoction - probably unlike a student's DIY cocktail nasty...
Translucent. Looked rather turbid. No precipitates.
Boiling points
'A' boiled at 103.5°C at atmospheric pressure
'B' boiled at 104°C at atmospheric pressure
'C' boiled at 103.5°C at atmospheric pressure
Tap water boiled at 99°C. D'oh. Probably reflects an imperfectly calibrated
thermometer - the fact that I was attempting to boil water in a beaker in the
garden probably has nothing to do with it ;-)
Summary
Apart from the lovely colour (not), nothing too nasty happened when mixing the
coolants in respect to precipitation or boiling point. However, I do wonder if
the turbid appearance of 'C' might be reflective of a chemical reaction? Might
be worth checking the pH's of each of the coolant mixes. An acidic coolant could
corrode the aluminium head...