Chapter 164 Acid Production
Kymer Strire hadn't slept much these days, and he found that coming to Border Town was the most correct choice he had made in his life.
It took two days and one night to read all of "Elementary Chemistry", and after two or three hours of sleep, I was full of energy again. Now he has returned to the first page, re-reading this ancient book carefully.
Matter is made of tiny particles! The change of matter is the decomposition and reorganization of particles! During the reaction, the total amount of matter remains the same!
My God, what kind of person is the author of this book, who can describe the world that people can't see so clearly. He suspected more than once that the contents of the book were all made up, but he carried out the alchemy experiment according to the above example, and the results were all in line! Moreover, some common examples in reality can also prove the correctness of the book.
For example, "oxygen" described in the first chapter.
This gas is the main component of air, and what people breathe is not air, but oxygen. Oxygen is required for flame combustion because combustion is essentially an oxidation reaction. The more oxygen, the more vigorous the combustion.
These words reminded him of the glass kiln in Chishui City. It took two people to keep shaking the blower bag to raise the temperature in the furnace to the melting point of sand. Since it is a substance, it is obvious that it can also be extracted through alchemy... no, pure oxygen can be extracted through chemical reactions. If oxygen can be passed directly into the furnace, can the blast equipment be saved?
And the most surprising thing is that the book says that water is actually composed of two hydrogen particles and one oxygen particle, which is probably the reason why all living things must drink water. However, hydrogen seems to be a gas, and the two gases are combined to become a liquid. How is this done?
Kaimo found that he still had many questions to ponder. But there is no doubt that he has already walked ahead of all the alchemists. When they were still groping for the formula in the chaos and fog, a straight and flat road appeared in front of their eyes.
Still, business has to be done. He reluctantly closed the book. At this time, the sky was getting white, and it was time to work again.
Kaimo blew out the candles, approached the bedroom, glanced at his wife and daughter who were still asleep, and went out quietly.
The residence assigned to him by His Highness is located in the west of the castle. It is much larger than his home in Chishui City. The walls are made of bricks and stones. Compared with the wood that is easy to mold, this kind of house is obviously much more comfortable, and the furniture and Kitchen utensils are readily available. Although he didn't say anything, he felt more satisfied in his heart. The disciples live in another community two streets away from him. The house is a little smaller, and it is not a single house, but a bit like a hotel. One bedroom can accommodate four people.
Walking to the chemical laboratory by the Chishui River, the disciples were already busy. They were carefully selected by Kymer. They had learned to wash materials in the alchemy workshop almost since they were children, and they were all between twenty and thirty years old now. Seeing the clean laboratory and the shiny glass containers, Kaimo nodded in satisfaction.
"Good morning, Chief Instructor," all the disciples bowed their heads together in salute.
"Let's start." He took out a pair of gloves from the cabinet and put them on. These gloves are extremely light and elastic, and they are probably made of animal intestines. The alchemy workshop never had such regulations before, but His Royal Highness repeatedly emphasized the dangers of chemical experiments. In the operating regulations, anyone who involves reactions with corrosive raw materials must wear gloves and open all windows at the same time.
Unlike workshops, their job content is very clear now, which is to prepare acid for His Highness. They have already practiced the method of making acid with two stones many times, so Kaimo only needs to watch and give pointers instead of doing it himself.
These two acids are described in detail in "Elementary Chemistry", one is called sulfuric acid and the other is called nitric acid. And he used to name it after the product, for example, the former is called alum acid, and the latter is called nitric acid. The names are different, but the preparation methods are basically the same. The acid vapor is obtained by dry distillation of colloides and saltpeter, and then collected by condensation to obtain acid liquid. Green vitriol is usually associated with sulfur ore, and saltpeter is produced in special nitrification ponds in big cities, both of which are common raw materials.
However, His Highness emphasized that the concentration of the two acids he wanted must be high, and he also specifically explained the purification method.
For example, after sulfuric acid is collected, the water can be evaporated by heating, and finally concentrated sulfuric acid with a concentration of up to 98% can be obtained. But nitric acid is much more troublesome. According to His Royal Highness, this kind of acid itself is not stable and easy to volatilize. When the concentration reaches a certain level, it will decompose even when exposed to light. Therefore, the dilute nitric acid produced by dry distillation must be mixed with concentrated sulfuric acid and then heated to allow the concentrated sulfuric acid to absorb water, evaporate the nitric acid, and store it in a brown glass bottle. For this reason, His Highness specially prepared a thermometer.
The first time Kaimo saw it, he thought it was a wonderful thing. Mercury was contained in a hollow glass tube, and both ends were sealed, so there was no need to worry about the mercury leaking out. There are several circles of paint lines drawn on it. When heated, the mercury will gradually rise, and the final stop position represents the current temperature.
Today, the laboratory has produced three bottles of concentrated sulfuric acid and one bottle of concentrated nitric acid. At this concentration, he discovered that sulfuric acid is not as easy to flow as water, but more like a somewhat viscous oil. Nitric acid is no longer colorless and transparent at high concentrations, but turns light yellow. As long as the glass bottle cap is opened, white smoke will be emitted.
"Master Tutor, do we have to make these two kinds of acid every day?" A disciple named Amon asked.
"Until His Highness gives you a new task." Kymer paused, "What's the matter, are you worried that you don't have time to explore the alchemy formula?"
Amon nodded.
Kaimo stroked the stubble of his chin and smiled, "I forgot to tell you that the title of alchemist is no longer needed, so you don't have to rely on formulas to become an alchemist."
"No..." Amon was stunned, "I don't need it anymore?" The other disciples also slowed down their work and listened carefully to what the instructor wanted next.
"That's right, alchemy formulas don't need to be explored anymore, but memorized and deduced." Kai Mo clapped his hands, and simply gathered everyone around him, "His Royal Highness handed me a copy of "Elementary Chemistry". The reason for coming here, if you study thoroughly, most of the formulas in the world can be deduced from the contents of the book."
"Deduce it?" The disciples let out a low cry.
"That's right. After I read it in detail, I will start a class and pass it on to you." He said, "As for the promotion path, His Highness also mentioned it to me. From now on, you must pass the test arranged by him in order to be awarded the title of chemist. Believe it Me, it won't be long before this honorary title will completely surpass alchemists. And the knowledge you have mastered is beyond the reach of even the Royal Capital Alchemy Association." (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome Come to Diandian to vote, your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile phone users please go to read.)