I want to separate a mixture of Iodine, Potassium Bromide, Aluminum Oxide, and I

Question

I want to separate a mixture of Iodine, Potassium Bromide, Aluminum Oxide, and Iron. I have seen that Iron powder can be separated by using a magnet, but I need to be able to perform the experiment another way because this is concidered unavaiable to me in the lab. What I have so far is...

Iodine is best sublimated and is easily soluble in Diethyl Either, slightly soluble in hot/cold water

Iron is insoluble in hot/cold water, and Diethyl Ether

Potassium Bromide is easily soluble in hot/cold water, slightly soluble in Diethyl Ether (preference towards the boiling water since Aluminum Oxide is insoluble in hot water)

Aluminum Oxide is slightly soluble in cold water, insoluble in hot water, "practically" insoluble in non-polar organic solvents

Diethyl Ether is considered a polar organic solvent

How should I go about seperating this mixture with my limitations?

Explanation / Answer

Hi yes, you are right about the separation of the mixture.

Iron can be separated using the magnet

similarly, the Iodine can be separated by sublimation

Now for separating the aluminum oxide and Potassium bromide, You can use hot/cold water as KBr is soluble in water whereas aluminum oxide insoluble. So now all compounds are separated.

Remember this Thumb rule "Aluminium oxide is an amphoteric oxide insoluble in water and in most organic solvents such as diethyl ether and ethanol "

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse I
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.