ChemCafe — science, chemistry and physics made simple

Turning Titanium Black: Effective Methods and Challenges Turning titanium black is best achieved through powder coating, which provides a much darker finish than traditional anodizing methods. Anodizing titanium typically yields...

Why Did J.J. Thomson Experiment with Cathode Ray Tubes? J.J. Thomson experimented with cathode ray tubes to investigate whether atoms were indivisible or composed of smaller particles, eventually identifying electrons...

What Dissolves POR-15 Fuel Tank Sealer? POR-15 fuel tank sealer cannot be dissolved by any common solvent. This product is a durable urethane coating designed to resist all chemical breakdown....

Is This Real and What’s the Chemistry Going On Here? Is It Safe? The glow from materials like strontium aluminate is real and results from phosphorescence, a physical process where...

Is a Milligram Per Liter Exactly and Always a Part Per Million? A milligram per liter (mg/L) is not exactly and always equal to a part per million (ppm); this...

Chlorine Dioxide (ClO2) Gas for Odor Removal Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas is an effective and safe agent for odor removal, particularly in whole-house treatments, breaking down quickly without leaving harmful...

Removing Carbon Dioxide from the Atmosphere Removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere is a complex challenge due to the vast quantity of CO2 present, the chemical stability of the...

Reaction of Sodium Hydroxide and Aluminum The reaction between sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and aluminum involves the removal of a thin aluminum oxide layer, producing aluminate ions and hydrogen gas. This...