I'm trying to find a material which: melts between 0 and 60 deg; a high density (ie >>1) and is hydrophobic. Gallium melts at 29 and has a high density but is hydrophilic. Can anyone suggest an alternative or a way of modifying Gallium that might make it hydrophobic?
Paraffin wax (http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/product/aldrich/327204)?
Thanks for the suggestions. I tried paraffin wax but its density is less than that of water! I'll look into the fluorinated oils
There exist bismuth-based alloys of melting points around 60 ºC or below, namely, the alloy known as "Field's metal", Bi32.5--Sn16.5--In51.0 (compositions in % w/w) with the melting point (mp) 62 °C; "Cerrolow 136", with mp = 58 °C and composition Bi49--Pb18--Sn12--In21; "Cerrolow 117" of mp = 47.2 °C and composition Bi44.7--Pb22.6--Sn8.3--In19.1--Cd5.3; the Bi-Pb-Sn-In-Cd alloy of mp = 46.5 ºC and composition Bi40.7--Pb22.1--Sn10.7--In18.1--Cd8.2; and the Bi-Pb-Sn-In-Cd-Tl alloy of mp = 41.5 °C and composition Bi40.3--Pb22.2--Sn10.7--In17.7--Cd8.1--Tl1.1.
Gallium-based alloys of even lower melting point also exist, as Ga68.5--In21.5--Sn10.0 (mp = 11 ºC); Ga75.5--In24.5 (mp = 15.7 ºC); Ga69.8--In17.6--Sn12.6 (mp = 10.8 ºC); Ga62.5--In21.5--Sn16.0 (mp = 10.7 ºC); and Ga61--In25--Sn13--Zn1 (mp = 8.5 ºC).
Referring to organic compounds we may think at: 4-Nitrotoluene with mp = 52--54 °C, density (d) of 1.39 g/cm3 (25°C), nearly insoluble in cold water (0.35 g/dm3, 20 ºC); at diphenylamine, of mp = 52--54 °C and d=1.2 g/cm3, nearly insoluble in cold water (0.3 g/dm3); and at 2-nitrophenol of mp = 43--45 °C, d = 1.495 g/cm3, and low solubility in cold water (2 g/dm3, 25 ºC). Of course, the level of toxicity of these compounds would be an important issue to be considered, if a selection is to be made.
Bitumen (asphalt) is a viscoelastic melt at room temperatures and is not hydrophilic. The density is often very close to water though (0.98-1.02 g/cm3).
If you dare to go into organic chemistry: 1,2,4-Trichlorbenzene melts at 17 °C with a density of 1.45 g/cm³.
Wood's metal melts at 70C and has high density and is used often in various studies. There are other, similar alloys that could be used and that melt at T
Any material that changes it appearance,color etc. by the temperature around 50-60oC.? The temperature is obtained is by passing 100mA electric current through the Kanthal coil.
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