Strontium from Nitrate?

[budullewraagh]

im trying to obtain strontium metal from the nitrate salt. i was thinking of making a solution of the salt and adding pure magnesium metal to reduce the strontium.

 

two questions:

-would this work?

-would the strontium dissolve?

 

if it doesnt work, do you have any other ideas?

[jdurg]

Strontium will react with water at about the same rate as lithium does, so you cannot do this in an aqueous solution. You'd have to melt the strontium nitrate and perform the electrolysis on the molten salt.

[budullewraagh]

is there a way i can do it without doing electolysis?

[YT2095]

Sr`s quite reactive, displacement of the nitrate with sodium carbonate to make sodium nitrate and Strontium Carbonate, wash the NaNO3 away and try decomposing the strontium carbonate with heat. it MIGHT work?

according to the data in my book SrCO3 will decompose at 1770 Kelvin.

 

edit: a good blow torch may do the job in a borsilicate test tube

[Gilded]

I wonder if you could still get the 2.5kg piece of Sr at eBay.

 

Edit: It seems you can, since it isn't an auction but a "Buy it now" at the Emovendo shop. Hmmm... 99.5%, 2.5kg for $299.99