Qualitative Analysis - Bead Tests Trial by Fire What is the Bead Test The bead test, sometimes called

the borax bead or blister test, is an analytical method used to test for the presence of certain metals. The premise of the test is that oxides of these metals produce characteristic colors when exposed to a burner flame. The test is sometimes used to identify the metals in minerals. In this case, a mineral-coated bead is heated in a flame and cooled to observe its characteristic color. Performing a Bead Test First make a clear bead by fusing a small quantity of borax (sodium tetraborate: Na 2B4O7 10H2O) or microcosmic salt (NaNH4HPO4) onto a loop of platinum wire in a Bunsen burner flame. Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) is used sometimes for the bead test, too. After the bead has been formed, coat it with a dry sample of the material to be tested and reintroduce the bead into the burner flame. The inner cone of the flame is the reducing flame; the outer portion is the oxidizing flame. Observe the color and match it to the corresponding bead type and flame portion. The bead test is not a definitive method for identifying an unknown metal, but may be used to quickly eliminate or to narrow possibilities. What metals do colors indicate? The following abbreviations are used in the tables: h: hot c: cold hc: hot or cold ns: not saturated s: saturated sprs: supersaturated BORAX BEADS Color Oxidizing Reducing Colorless hc: Al, Si, Sn, Bi, Cd, Mo, Pb, Al, Si, Sn, alk. Sb, Ti, V, W earths, earths ns: Ag, Al, Ba, Ca, Mg, Sr h: Cu hc: Ce, Mn Gray/Opaque sprs: Al, Si, Sn Ag, Bi, Cd, Ni, Pb, Sb, Zn s: Al, Si, Sn sprs: Cu Blue c: Cu hc: Co hc: Co Green c: Cr, Cu Cr h: Cu, Fe+Co hc: U sprs: Fe c: Mo, V Red c: Ni c: Cu h: Ce, Fe Yellow/Brown h, ns: Fe, U, V W h, sprs: Bi, Pb, Sb h: Mo, Ti, V Violet h: Ni+Co c: Ti hc: Mn

MICROCOSMIC SALT BEADS Oxidizing Reducing Si (undissolved) Si (undissolved) Al, Ba, Ca, Mg, Sn, Sr Ce, Mn, Sn, Al, Ba, Ca, Mg ns: Bi, Cd, Mo, Pb, Sb, Ti, Zn Sr (sprs, not clear) Gray/Opaque s: Al, Ba, Ca, Mg, Sn, Sr Ag, Bi, Cd, Ni, Pb, Sb, Zn Blue c: Cu c: W hc: Co hc: Co Green U c: Cr c: Cr h: Mo, U h: Cu, Mo, Fe+(Co or Cu) Red h, s: Ce, Cr, Fe, Ni c: Cu h: Ni, Ti+Fe Yellow/Brown c: Ni c: Ni h, s: Co, Fe, U h: Fe, Ti Violet hc: Mn c: Ti Color Colorless Primary Reference: Lange's Handbook of Chemistry, 8th Edition, Handbook Publishers Inc., 1952. How To Make Borax Beads Borax beads or blisters are the basis for the borax bead test, used to test for certain metals. Here's how to make a simple borax bead. Materials borax wire loop candle, burner, or alcohol lamp

Procedure 1. 2. 3. Place a small amount of borax on a clean surface, such as a sheet of paper. Heat the metal loop by holding in the flame just above the visible cone of the flame. Dip the hot loop into the borax and return the loop to the flame. Hold the coated loop in the flame for about 20 seconds. The hot wire should pick up just enough borax to form a small bead. 4. Initially, the borax will puff up. It then shrinks into a glassy, white bead. Remove the loop from the flame. 5. Now that you know how to make a borax bead, use it to perform the bead test.