Aluminum +ecycling: -rom Aluminum to Alum %"2#"#"2

Teacher Background Information:

Aluminum is one of the most versatile metals in the world. Aluminum is an excellent conductor of electricity. It is also an efficient conductor of heat and a good reflector of light and radiant heat. Aluminum is primarily used to produce pistons, engine and body parts for cars, beverage cans, doors, siding and aluminum foil. It may also be used as sheet metal, aluminum plate and foil, rods, bars and wire, aircraft components, windows and doorframes. Although aluminum is the most abundant metal on Earth, it was once found to be very difficult to extract from its various ores. At one time, aluminum was more valuable than gold. Over time, however, the price of aluminum has dropped, due in large part to the invention of the Hall-H roult process. Aluminum electrolysis was discovered in !""# by $aul-%ouis &oussaint H roult and 'harles (artin Hall. &he process is based on the use of a powerful electric current to decompose aluminum oxide )Al *O+,. Aluminum, found in the form of bauxite ore, is first converted into pure aluminum oxide by the -ayer $rocess. &his is then electroly.ed in solution in molten cryolite - another aluminum compound, releasing pure aluminum. The simplified redox reactions in the electrolysis of Al 2O3 are shown below: Al3! ! "2e# $ Al 3%&s' ! (O2# $ 3%O2 ! "2e# 2 Al2O3 ! 3 % $ %athode Anode

Al ! 3 %O2 ) ) ) O*erall cell reaction

Aluminum can either be produced from bauxite ore as described above, or from aluminum scrap. /efinement of aluminum ore is so expensive that the secondary production industry commands much of the mar0et. Aluminum +ecycling 1ome facts about aluminum recycling2 ),ource: http233www.cancentral.com3fun4acts.cfm ' !. /ecycling aluminum cans saves 56 percent of the energy used to ma0e aluminum cans from virgin ore. *. In !57*, 6+ million pounds of aluminum cans were recycled. &oday, that amount is exceeded by !,#!* million pounds. +. Aluminum cans distinguish themselves as the most recycled and most recyclable beverage container in the world. An awesome !86,7"9 cans are recycled every minute nationwide.

9. :sed aluminum cans are recycled and returned to a store shelf as a new can in as few as #8 days. &hat means a consumer could purchase basically the same recycled aluminum can from a retailer;s shelf nearly every 5 wee0s or # times a year. 6. &he weight of !,##6 million pounds of aluminum cans recycled in *88! was e<ual to the weight of !9 aircraft carriers. #. Americans earn about =! billion a year recycling aluminum cans. A used aluminum can returned to a recycling center is worth about a penny to consumer recyclers. 7. 4or each pound of aluminum recovered, Americans save the energy resources needed to generate about 7.6 0ilowatt-hours of electricity. &hat;s enough energy saved each year by recycling aluminum to meet the lighting needs of a city the si.e of $ittsburgh, $A for six years. ". -everage containers represent less than *8 percent of the materials collected in curb side recycling programs and they generate up to 78 percent of total scrap value. Aluminum cans are the most valuable commodity to curb side programs helping to pay for the collection of other containers. 5. Aluminum can recycling rate is better than ! out of * cans. !8. /ecycling diverted !.7 billion pounds from landfills. !!. :sing recycled aluminum beverage cans to produce new cans allows the aluminum can industry to ma0e up to *8 times more cans for the same amount of energy. !*. It;s estimated that since !57* some !".7 million tons of aluminum have been recycled. &hese !,855 billion aluminum cans placed end-to-end could stretch to the moon and bac0 some !79 times. !+. Aluminum cans have ama.ing strength. 4our six-pac0s )*9 cans, can hold a 9,888-pound aluminum-bodied sedan. !9. In *88+, Americans recycled #*.# billion aluminum cans. &hose cans, placed end-to-end, could ma0e !7! circles around the earth. !6. America recycled enough aluminum cans last year to stretch to the moon and bac0 " times. !#. 1ince !57* Americans have recycled +7 billion lbs. or !,855 trillion aluminum cans and earned over =*6 billion by recycling aluminum beverage cans. !7. Every minute of everyday, an average of !86,"88 aluminum cans are recycled. !". >hen you thin0 it is hot, consider the following2 ?id you 0now that aluminum begins to melt at a whopping !**8 degrees 4ahrenheit@ !5. Over the past !8 years, the number of aluminum cans recycled has doubled. *8. &he average employee consumes *.6 cans of soda each day at wor0.

*!. /ecycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a television for three hours. **. Enough aluminum cans were recycled in *88* to fill a hollow Empire 1tate -uilding *9 times. *+. Each year Americans receive enough money from recycling aluminum cans that every 0id in the :.1. could buy two movie tic0ets. *9. &he number of cans recycled every +8 seconds e<uals the number of people who could fill an entire pro football stadium. *6. Every + seconds a baby is born. In that time, !98 cans were born. *#. If the *88+ 'orvette convertible was on a seesaw, it would ta0e !87,*!9 used aluminum cans on the other side to balance the car. *7. In *88!, beverage cans delivered 5,985 billion gallons of pure refreshing beverageAenough to fill +7,#+9 Olympic pools. *". !8,9++ empty aluminum beverage cans weigh as much as 1ha< O;Beal. *5. In *88!, Americans bought +6! aluminum beverage cans per person, twice as many as in !5"8. +8. &he average American family recycles !68 six pac0s of aluminum cans a year. +!. :sed aluminum cans are melted down into ingots that can weigh as much as +8,888 tons. &hat;s enough aluminum to ma0e !.# million cans. +*. Aluminum never wears out, it can be recycled forever. ++. Americans drin0 an average of +"8 beverages in aluminum cans each year. +9. /ecycling ! aluminum can saves enough electricity to run your &C for # Dimmy Beutron Episodes. +6. If 'alifornians recycled all the aluminum cans they buy in one day, we would have enough aluminum to ma0e !7 -oeing 7*7 Eets. +#. /ecycling ! ton of aluminum saves the e<uivalent in energy of *,+68 gallons of gasoline. &his is e<uivalent to the amount of electricity used by the typical home over a period of !8 years. +7. &he energy saved each year through recycled cans could light the city of >ashington, ?' for +.7 years. +". All aluminum cans recycled since !57* would stretch from Bew For0 to %os Angeles and bac0 !6,5+5 times. +5. /ecycling aluminum creates 57G less water pollution than producing new metal from ore.

Aluminum +ecycling: -rom Aluminum to Alum ,tudent Acti*ity

Introduction:

Aluminum recycling is the process by which scrap aluminum can be reused in products after its initial production. &he process involves simply re-melting the metal, which is far less expensive and energy intensive than creating new aluminum through the electrolysis of aluminum oxide )Al *O+,, which must first be mined from bauxite ore and then refined using the -ayer process. /ecycling scrap aluminum re<uires only 6G of the energy used to ma0e new aluminum. 4or this reason, approximately +!G of all aluminum produced in the :nited 1tates comes from recycled scrap. As recycling does not damage the metal;s structure, aluminum can be recycled indefinitely and still be used to produce any product for which new aluminum could have been used. &he environmental benefits of recycling aluminum are enormous. Only around 6G of the 'O * is produced during the recycling process compared to producing raw aluminum )and an even smaller percentage when considering the complete cycle of mining and transporting the aluminum,. Also, open-cut mining is most often used for obtaining aluminum ore, which destroys large sections of world;s natural land.

,hredded aluminum

Though much of recycled aluminum is con*erted back into aluminum. aluminum can also be recycled into other useful products such as Alum: /ses of Alum: (a0eup2 Alum was often used as a base in s0in whiteners and treatments during the late !#th 'entury in the Eli.abethan fashion. &his is an example of a recipe2

H4or the 4rec0les which one getteth by the heat of the 1un2 &a0e a little Allom beaten small, temper amonst it a well brayed white of an egg, put it on a milde fire, stirring it always about that it wax not hard, and when it casteth up the scum, then it is enough, wherewith anoint the 4rec0les the space of three dayes2 if you will defend your self that you get no 4rec0les on the face, then anoint your face with the whites of eggs.H 'hristopher >ir.ung, Ieneral practise of $hysic0e, !#69.

1having alum2 is a powdered form of alum used as an astringent to prevent bleeding from small shaving cuts. &he styptic pencils sold for this purpose contain aluminum sulfate or potassium aluminum sulfate. 1imilar products are also used on animals to prevent bleeding after nail-

clipping. Alum in bloc0 form )usually potassium alum, is used as an aftershave, rubbed over the wet freshly shaved face. Hair 1tiffener2 Alum was used in roc0 form in the !568;s to rub on the front short hair of a Hcrew cutH. >hen the hair dried, it would stay up all day. 'rystal deodorant2 Alum was used in the past as a natural underarm deodorant in Europe, (exico, &hailand where it is called 1arn-1om, the 4ar East and in the $hilippines where it is called &awas. It is now commercially sold for this purpose in many countries, often in a plastic case that protects the crystal and ma0es it resemble other non-li<uid deodorants. &ypically potassium alum is used. Alum powder, found amongst spices at most grocery stores, is used in pic0ling recipes as a preservative, to maintain crispness, and as an ingredient in some play dough recipes. It is also commonly cited as a home remedy or pain relief for can0er sores. 4ire retardant2 -y soa0ing and then drying cloth and paper materials they can be made fireproof. >ax2 Alum is used in the (iddle East as a component in wax, compounded with other ingredients to create a hair-removal substance. 4oamite2 Alum is used to ma0e foamite which is used in many fire extinguishers for chemical and oil fires. AdEuvant2 Alum is used regularly as an adEuvant )enhances immune response to a given immunogen when given with it, in human immuni.ations. Antibacterial agent2 Alum wor0s as a deodorant because Alum inhibits bacterial growth. &his fits the definition of an antibacterial agent. 1typtic pencils or Alum powder3crystals can be applied to cuts that have a mild infection. 4locculating agent2 Alum is used to clarify water by catching the very fine suspended particles in a gel li0e precipitate of aluminum hydroxide. &his sin0s to the bottom of the containing vessel and can be removed in a variety of ways.

0urpose:
&o recycle aluminum cans and ma0e a useful product, Alum )potassium aluminum sulfate JAl)1O9,* K!*H*O. &o understand the processes involved in recycling, their importance, and the difficulties in doing so.

1aterials:
* large ice baths ! full aluminum beverage can per group 1and paper 1cissors

9.88 g JOH 68 m% volumetric flas0 ?istilled water *68 m% bea0er )labelled with your name using a grease pencil, !88 m% bea0er )labelled with your name using a grease pencil, *-*6 m% graduated cylinders !*.8 m% concentrated sulfuric acid 4ilter paper )* piecesL ! labelled with your name, 4unnel :niversal ring stand assembly 1tirring rod Hot plate Electronic balance !* m% Ethanol

%aution2 &he preparation of JOH and H*1O9 solutions are very exothermic. &hese substances are caustic3corrosiveL avoid s0in contact.

0rocedure: )&his is a two day lab,

?ay !2 !. /emove the paint from the outside of the aluminum can using sand paper )this is easier to do if the can is full,. >hy is it important to remove the paint@

*. Once the paint has been removed, drain the contents of the can and rinse it. &hen cut a piece of aluminum approximately 6 cm x 7.6 cm from the can. :sing sand paper, remove the polymer coating on the inside of the can. >hy do you thin0 there is a coating on the inside of the can@ >hy is it important to remove it@ +. >eigh the cleaned piece of aluminum. Fou need approximately !.8 g of aluminum )a mass between 8.58 g and !.*8 g is acceptable,. If your mass of aluminum is between these values, proceed to step 9. If not, then cut to the appropriate mass range before proceeding to step 9.

9. Obtain the mass of a labelled *68 m% bea0er. /ecord in the data table provided. 'ut your aluminum sample into small pieces. )How will this affect the rate of the reaction compared with leaving the aluminum in one large piece@, $lace the small pieces of aluminum into the *68 m% bea0er.

6. Obtain the mass of the bea0er containing the aluminum )to the nearest 8.8! g,. /ecord in the data table provided.

#. ?etermine the mass of the aluminum by subtracting the mass of the bea0er from the mass of the bea0er containing the aluminum pieces. /ecord in the data table provided.

7. (ass )to the nearest 8.8! g, approximately 9.8 g of JOH and add it to 68 m% volumetric flas0. /ecord the exact mass of the JOH in the data table provided. Add about *6 m% of distilled water and swirl to dissolve the JOH. Once the JOH has been dissolved, fill the volumetric flas0 with distilled water to the 68 m% mar0. >hich ions3molecules are present in the volumetric flas0@ ". Add this JOH solution the *68 m% bea0er containing the aluminum pieces.

5. $lace the *68 m% bea0er in the fume hood for about !6 minutes or until all of the aluminum pieces have finished reacting. &he reaction is complete when no more aluminum pieces are visible and no more H* gas is evolving. &he reaction is2 *JOH)a<, M *Al)s, M #H*O)l, *JAl)OH,9)a<, M +H*)g,

!8. /ecord <ualitative observations while the aluminum is reacting with the JOH. Is this an endothermic or exothermic reaction@

!!. Bote the periodic rise and fall of aluminum pieces during the reaction. 1uggest an explanation.

!*. ?uring the !6 minute waiting period, place !+ m% of distilled water into a labelled !88 m% bea0er and very slowly add !* m% of concentrated H *1O9 )pre-measured for you in a *6 m% graduated cylinder,. Always add acid to water. &his step should be performed in a fume hood. :se gloves if available.

!+. 'arefully place the bea0er of hot H*1O9 solution in an ice bath for approximately !8 minutes.

!9. After the aluminum has finished reacting with the JOH solution, place the *68 m% bea0er into an ice bath. Allow the blac0 residue to settle to the bottom of the bea0er. &his blac0 residue may be a result of the decomposition of residual paint or plastic lining.

!6. >hile both solutions are cooling, set up the filtration apparatus using the universal stand and ring assembly.

!#. 4ilter the JAl)OH,9 through a funnel into the cold sulfuric acid solution. 1lowly stir the white precipitate )which is Al)OH,+,.

&he reaction is2

*JAl)OH,9)a<, M H*1O9)a<, *Al)OH,+)s, M J*1O9)a<, M *H*O)l,

1ome of the solid aluminum hydroxide reacts with the sulfuric acid, forming aluminum sulfate which reacts with potassium sulfate in the solution to form the final product alum. &he overall reaction is shown in step !" below.

!7. Once filtering is complete, warm the white precipitate gently on a hot plate until it has all dissolved.

!". %eave the bea0er to sit undisturbed overnight. As the solution cools, solid alum will precipitate forming crystals.

&he overall balanced reaction is2

*Al)s, M *JOH)a<, M 9H*1O9)a<, M **H*O)l, *JAl)1O9,*K!*H*O)s, M +H*)g,

?ay *2 !. Obtain the mass of a piece of a labelled piece of filter paper. /ecord in the data table provided.

*. (ix !* m% of ethanol with !* m% of water in a *6 m% graduated cylinder. 'hill in an ice bath for a few minutes.

+. ?ecant the li<uid from the alum crystals. /inse the crystals once with half of the chilled ethanol solution. ?ecant and repeat with the second half of the chilled ethanol solution. )Ethanol in the wash solution reduces the solubility of the alum,.

9. :se a spatula to transfer all of the alum crystals to the filter paper.

6. 1et the crystals aside to dry on the piece of filter paper.

#. Obtain the mass of the alum crystals on the filter paper. /ecord in the data table provided.

7. 1ubtract the mass of the filter paper to obtain the mass of the alum crystals. /ecord in the data table provided.

Alum %rystals

3ata:
(ass of *68 m% bea0er NNNNNNNNNNNNg 1ass of 245 m6 beaker and aluminum 777777777777g (ass of aluminum used 777777777777g (ass of JOH used (ass of filter paper (ass of filter paper and alum 1ass of alum produced 777777777777g 777777777777g NNNNNNNNNNNNg 777777777777g

3ata Analysis:
'alculation of &heoretical Field2 &he theoretical yield is the amount of alum you would obtain from your starting mass of aluminum if all reactions wor0ed perfectly and you were able to obtain all intermediate compounds and products) The theoretical yield can be calculated from the o*erall balanced reaction:

*Al)s, M *JOH)a<, M 9H*1O9)a<, M **H*O)l, *JAl)1O9,*K!*H*O)s, M +H*)g, !. :sing the masses of Al and JOH from your data table, calculate the limiting reactant &82O and 82,O are in excess')

*. 'alculate the theoretical mass of alum. 9ote that the "2 moles of water must be included in the molar mass of alum as it is a hydrate)

$ercent Field2 &he percent yield is the percent of the theoretical yield you actually obtained) To calculate the percent yield. use the e:uation: $ercent Field O (ass of alum obtained x !88 &heoretical yield of alum

1ources of Error2 'omment on some experimental sources of error in the experiment. 1ome things to consider2 Is the can made of pure aluminum@ ?id the reaction go to completion@ >ere the crystals completely dry when you weighed them@ Are there any impurities in the final alum crystal@

Applications2 !. 'omment on the effecti*eness of this method for the recycling of aluminum) *. &he aluminum can is usually an alloy of aluminum. /esearch the composition of a typical aluminum can and comment on how your lab results specifically may ha*e been affected by this)

,ummary:
In the :nited 1tates, !688 aluminum cans are recycled per second with an energy savings of 56 percent over refining and smelting bauxite ore. &hough aluminum cans are currently recycled to ma0e more aluminum products, scrap aluminum metal can also be used to product alum. Alum is a chemical used in a myriad of applications including water purification, ma0e-up, deodorant, hardening gelatin, ba0ing powders, hardening plaster casts, and as a medicinal astringent. Aluminum can recycling provides many environmental, economic and community benefits to individuals, communities, organi.ations, companies and industries. ;n*ironmental Benefits /ecycling aluminum cans saves precious natural resources, energy, time and money. Aluminum cans are uni<ue in that in #8 days a can is recycled, turned into a new can and bac0 on store shelves. Aluminum is a sustainable metal and can be recycled over and over again. In *88+, 69 billion cans were recycled, saving the energy e<uivalent of !6 million barrels of crude oilAAmericaPs entire gas consumption for one day.

;conomic Benefits &he aluminum can is the most valuable container to recycle and is the most recycled consumer product in the :.1. today. Each year, the aluminum industry pays out over ="88 million dollars for empty aluminum cans A thatPs a lot of money that can go to organi.ations, li0e Habitat for Humanity, the -oy or Iirl 1couts of America or even a local school. (oney earned from recycling cans helps people help themselves and their communities. /ecycling helps build new homes, pays for a group trip, supports a proEect or buys a lunch. &oday it is cheaper, faster and more energy-efficient to recycle aluminum than ever before. &he aluminum can is !88 percent recyclable and can be recycled indefinitely. &he can remains the most recyclable of all materials. Other types of aluminum, such as siding, gutters, car components, storm window frames, and lawn furniture can also be recycled. Aluminum has a high mar0et value and continues to provide an economic incentive to recycle. >hen aluminum cans are recycled curbside, they help pay for community services. %ommunity Benefits Aluminum can recycling enables charitable organi.ations and groups to earn funds to further local proEects. &he money earned enhances programs, communities and improves the <uality of peoplePs lives. 4rom a local can drive to raise money for school improvements, to a -oy or Iirl 1cout troop Q'ans Into 'ashR competition to pay for camp, recycling is used all over the country to help others. A perfect example of this is the 'ans for Habitat program. &hrough a national partnership between the Aluminum Association and Habitat for Humanity International, aluminum cans are recycled via a networ0 of drop-off locations to raise money for Habitat for Humanity to build decent, affordable housing with low-income families. &o thin0, Eust by recycling a can once destined for the landfill, you are 0eeping our local environment clean, providing a needed resource for the aluminum recycling process, and most importantly, helping provide local housing to those in need. ItPs a win-win for the individual, community, business, industry and the environment.

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