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Precursor Solutions

Submitted by saradabheemineni on Thu, 07/30/2009 - 03:20

Hi,
I was a bit confused in trying to prepare the metal precursor solutions after reading the manual. The instructions say "Create a 0.35 M solution of the desired metal nitrate salt with 0.6 M of ammonium nitrate and 0.015 M of nitric acid with the solvent being water."

Here, are we preparing 3 solutions, or 2 (or 1?) My instinct says that 3 separate solutions should be prepared, but some clarification would be helpful.

Also, is there a heating process after printing on the substrates before experimentation? Or is the substrate just left out to dry?

Thanks!
Sarada

Barium? ›

1 solution

Submitted by mdlyttle on Thu, 09/02/2010 - 13:57.

Hello Sarada,

I believe it is supposed to be one solution that has all three substances. There should be enough metal nitrate salt in it so that the solution is 0.35M of that metal nitrate. The same solution should also have enough ammonium nitrate to make it 0.6 M ammonium nitrate, regardless ofhow much metal nitrate you previously added. We used a volumetric flask. We partially filled it with water and then added the rest of the substances, then we filled the flask to the desired total volume with water.

mdlyttle

Separate solutions

Submitted by billyjmc on Fri, 09/03/2010 - 16:19.

When making metal solutions, you should make a separate solution for each metal, e.g.

Potassium Solution: 0.35M KNO3, 0.6M (NH4)NO3
Magnesium Solution: 0.35M Mg(NO3)2, 0.6M (NH4)NO3
Iron Solution: 0.35M Fe(NO3)3, 0.6M (NH4)NO3
Tungsten Solution: 0.029M (NH4)10W12O41 • 5 H2O, 0.6M (NH4)NO3 (note that the solution is 1/12 as concentrated, because tungsten metal occurs 12 times in the starting material's formula)
etc.

Then, you can add these solutions to the printer cartridges and start printing, or you can then begin mixing them for pipetting. The wiki page roughly outlines the pipetting mixing procedure (http://thesharkproject.wikia.com/wiki/Mixing_solutions).

Using an analytical balance and a volumetric flask is the ideal way to make the starting solutions. Solutions should be stored a separate container with a tight fitting cap/lid. We use large glass vials with teflon-lined caps.

-----
Billy McCulloch
Ozerov Research Group
Texas A&M University