At 01:06 PM 12/5/2010, mcneely4@cox.net wrote:
>It is routine in instructional chemistry labs to use electrically
>heated surfaces (hot plate) to heat volatile, combustible liquids.

The two things I really miss from my little lab in the Navy are a
small centrifuge and a heated stirring-plate.  The spectrophotometer
would be nice too, I suppose.

>   Of course, one isn't supposed to spill the stuff on the hot
> plate, but rather to keep the liquid in a container.  I assume that
> the vapors are not expected to come in contact with the surface
> because they waft away, though they would with a flame if that were
> used.  Of course, a flame is much hotter than the surface of the
> hot plate, also.

I was thinking of surface temps of 400-700F.  Come to think of it, a
spare steam iron and an IR thermometer would be close to
ideal.  Pretty sure my iron can make it to at least 600F.

Yrs,
d