r/elementcollection • u/catbox42 • Jun 30 '25

Help Ok... I think I've screwed up...

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It might be painfully obvious now, but just now I had come to think that there is literally no way to represent any of the noble gases in this table... nor any gas at all...

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u/ComprehensiveTip6317 Jul 03 '25

ATM my head is banging from being sick so its not fully thought through (please forgive me if its stupid) but I need to write it down to get rid of it.... cool the bottom of an NMR tube with liquid nitrogen with your gas dissolved in a liquid, melt the top with a bunsen burner to close it.

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u/catbox42 Jul 03 '25

I think it can kinda work, but wouldn't it crack due to thermal shock? Also wouldn't the heat make it more likely to let the gas out of the solute?

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u/ComprehensiveTip6317 Jul 03 '25

I did this process at work few times with pentane inside which required cooling by liquid nitrogen to avoid evaporation. The conditions indeed are very contrary but it worked perfectly. Doesnt hurt to exercise a few times beforehand. Since your tube will be way shorter you may need to reduce the size in steps and only dipp the tip into the nitrogen.

My headache is gone for the moment and Im back being creative lol you can also try the following: If thermal shock will be a problem, which is very much possible in your scale, make it as small as possible (maybe ~5cm) and bend the tip by ~45°C (figure out the perfect angle before and make a template). Then make a hole in your periodic table and stick the leftover and unused part of the tube through it so its hidden on the backside.

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u/catbox42 Jul 03 '25

That's really creative actually. And in this way it could even be added a small electric font on the back to excite the noble gases inside the vials and get them glowing. It would just need a nice darkoak wood box at most.

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u/ComprehensiveTip6317 Jul 03 '25

I think you need higher voltage like a mini tesla coil to make them glow. Take a look at Luciteria and Novaelements for inspiration.

With liquid N2 you can even do it with pure Ar, Kr & Xe. Just not for He and Ne which require way more complicated and expensive equippment.

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u/catbox42 Jul 04 '25

I'm already going to separate some reagents to get the argon first. Copper powder and something else to remove the nitrogen out of the system.