Carbon dioxide in solid state helps in solving various issues - from refrigerating food without electricity to performing magic tricks at home. With the right materials and knowledge, you can make dry ice yourself. Dry ice is carbon dioxide, also referred to as carbon dioxide. In solid state, it is white, and under pressure, the substance takes on a gaseous form, creating a chic smoke effect. Creating it at home is a rather painstaking work that must be done carefully, observing safety rules. To get dry ice, the first thing you need to do is get a special fire extinguisher.
Description and purpose of dry ice
Dry ice is a sterile, solid, very cold white substance, odorless and tasteless. At room temperature, it gradually evaporates, taking on a gaseous form, bypassing the transitional liquid phase. It is used in various forms, but it remains in a solid state. The ice is crushed into granules of different sizes and placed in special non-hermetic containers.
This substance is intended for the following purposes:
- In the food industry for cooling products … It is used in freezers or chambers where ice cream is stored, etc. One of its unique properties: when the pressure rises, dry ice evaporates without leaving water marks, so it is very easy to use.
- For creating special effects during theatrical performances … Dry ice is used to demonstrate an efficient and bladeless smoke screen. It can be obtained by placing the substance in a special smoke machine.
- In the restaurant industry for special effects cocktails and table decoration … There are a number of alcoholic drinks based on the use of carbon dioxide. Such a bubbling drink will definitely be remembered by visitors! If a small piece of dry ice is immersed in a liquid, then white bubbles, smoke will appear on its surface, and it will seethe. Also, with its help, tables for buffets are often decorated: they lay out CO2 in a beautiful dish on a high leg, and a smaller dish with seafood or fresh minced meat is placed in it. This kind of serving looks impressive and keeps the temperature cool.
- To make soda water … By dipping a small piece of dry ice into ordinary water, you can get the effect of soda in a matter of seconds. Such drinks are also made in the industrial sphere using carbon dioxide.
- For cleaning multicomponent equipment that cannot be disassembled into small parts … Microparticles of dry ice are good at cleaning equipment in printing houses, production workshops, penetrating into all openings of machines.
- For extinguishing fires … Using a special technology, carbon dioxide can be compressed and filled with it in cylinders, which are designed to extinguish flammable liquids, engines and energized structures. The fact is that CO2 not electrically conductive, getting into the air, it reduces the oxygen concentration, and the fire stops.
- For removing ceramic tiles … If dry ice is sprinkled on the tiles, they will easily come off the floor. It is recommended to use this method for a small area, because if you remove more than five items, you need to have a significant amount of time and working substance.
The benefits of dry ice in everyday life
The fact that this substance is used in such different areas already suggests that it has a number of beneficial properties. Even in our daily lives, we come across products that contain carbon dioxide every day, but we do not notice it.
Useful properties of gas:
- Extends the shelf life of food. Carbon dioxide is designated by the E290 code and is used as a preservative in the food industry. Its presence in the product indicates that the shelf life has been increased, but at the same time all technological standards have been taken into account. It is part of the preservatives for dairy and meat products.
- Loosens the dough. Carbon dioxide is often used by pastry chefs because it "lifts" the dough for sweet baked goods as well as yeast.
- Fertilizes the soil, helping to increase the yield. True, it is advisable to use this type of fertilizer indoors, for example, in a greenhouse. Dry ice in a gaseous state has a beneficial effect on the soil and any plants, improving their condition, prolonging the flowering period.
- Has an attractive scent for mosquitoes. This allows it to be used as bait for these insects.
- Helps fight rodents. Crushed dry ice is often used to control mice in production where chemical powders or any other poison cannot be used. You need to pour fine dry ice into the mouse hole - it will tightly close the hole, not letting in oxygen. For a 100% result, it is important that the burrow does not have another hole.
What harm does dry ice have on the body?
Carbon dioxide in any form is considered safe for humans. However, upon contact with CO2 you need to be careful, because sometimes this substance can still lead to problems.
What harm can dry ice do:
- Accelerates intoxicating effect … Many alcoholic sodas, either industrially or individually in a bar, are prepared using carbon dioxide. Penetrating into the gastric mucosa, this ingredient promotes the rapid absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream, while a person gets drunk many times faster.
- Provokes stomach problems … Fans of carbonated water should be treated with a sense of proportion to such a liquid. It also contains CO2, and if a person has minimal problems with the gastrointestinal tract, this substance will only aggravate them. The most famous consequences are belching, heartburn, and bloating.
- May cause burns … Dry ice is a hot-cold product with a temperature of -79 degrees. If you work with it without gloves, you can get a severe burn in a matter of seconds.
- May cause injury if stored improperly … Do not use plastic or glass bottles to store dry ice, because as a result of evaporation, this substance tends to expand hundreds of times. This could cause a violent explosion that could be dangerous to humans.
- May cause dizziness … Despite the fact that this substance is safe and non-toxic, it is advised to carry out any manipulations with dry ice in a spacious room, where you can open windows at any time and check it. In rare cases, carbon dioxide can cause mild discomfort.
In order to prevent possible harmful effects of the substance on the skin, it is worth working without rings on the fingers. Be especially careful not to get dry ice crusts in your eyes - this can lead to severe irritation. If this happens, wash yourself with cool water.
How to get dry ice yourself
In household use, this substance can become an irreplaceable helper. However, obtaining dry ice is not as easy as it might seem. You will definitely not find it in the refrigerator. The best option is to remove liquid carbon dioxide from the fire extinguisher marked "OU", which stands for carbon dioxide.
To protect yourself during the gas extraction procedure, wear gloves made of thick fabric, goggles, and a gown that covers your hands and feet. Then you can start the procedure.
Dry ice mining stages:
- Remove the safety pin and seal from the fire extinguisher.
- Pull a natural fabric pillowcase over the mouth of the gas mask to prevent it from shifting and gas leakage, secure it with tape. Make sure that there are no gaps.
- Gently push the lever and release the carbon dioxide into the pillowcase. Do not jerk the lever too much - this will release too much gas. If the substance begins to seep through the fabric as a vapor, do not worry - this is normal. Most of the substance will remain in the pillowcase anyway.
- After emptying the extinguisher completely or in the amount you need, slowly release the lever and carefully remove the pillowcase from the socket.
- Pour the snow carefully into a pre-prepared container or thermos. In order not to scatter valuable pieces of dry ice, you can safely shift it with your hands. It is safe with cloth gloves.
- Do not close the lid tightly on the ice storage container. You can only slightly cover a container or thermos with it, so as not to provoke an explosion of carbon dioxide.
Do not use this method of extracting dry ice too often, because when the gas is released from the fire extinguisher, a large percentage of the substance evaporates, and you get not much of it at the exit. This method is not beneficial.
It is important to know not only how to make dry ice at home, but also how to store it properly. It's good if you are lucky enough to get one piece of ice from the fire extinguisher. In this form, it is stored longer, but small fragments or a substance that has already crumbled and looks more like snow should be used as quickly as possible so that it does not evaporate.
Dry ice storage guidelines:
- The refrigerator does not slow down the evaporation process. Since dry ice has a very low temperature, the refrigeration chamber will not provide it with the necessary conditions to suspend sublimation. Store it in a cool, well-ventilated place in a special container or metal thermos for 2-3 days.
- If you want to hold the ice longer, wrap it in paper. This will help extend its storage for another day.
- If you did not get ice from the gas mask, but snow, form a block out of it in the form of a brick. Be sure to wear gloves while working. In its entirety, carbon dioxide has a longer shelf life.
Any manipulations with a fire extinguisher should preferably be carried out in the open air or in a room with open windows, since poisoning can be obtained at a high concentration of gas. Symptoms include high blood pressure, nausea, and dizziness. In case of poisoning, move to fresh air immediately and consult a doctor.
Home use dry ice options
This substance can be used to solve various household issues. First, dry ice is twice as effective as conventional ice to provide a cooling effect. Secondly, it completely evaporates during transportation, which greatly simplifies the process of transporting products. And, thirdly, its specific white smoke can add a special charm to any celebration.
Using dry ice for food storage
Having a couple of kilograms of dry ice at home in the summer is an opportunity to go on picnics or go on long trips and not worry about how to preserve food. Moreover, such a reserve will allow you to survive a power outage without losing provisions.
With carbon dioxide, food can be stored in two ways:
- Cool … To do this, in a container for storing food products or a thermos with two walls, put several bars of dry ice on the bottom, cover with a thick layer of ordinary ice on top and put the food on it. This method keeps a suitable temperature for up to five days.
- Freeze … As in the previous option, first lay out dry ice, then regular ice, and on top of the food. For a freezing effect, wrap a few dry ice crystals in tissue paper and place on top of the food. The paper will slow down evaporation and prolong the freezing effect.
Using dry ice to control mosquitoes
Going out into nature, fishing, hiking - all these activities will be more fun and calmer if the buzzing insects keep their distance and allow you to enjoy your vacation. Often, neither special creams nor sprays are able to cope with mosquito attacks, especially near bodies of water.
Dry ice in this matter is an irreplaceable substance. To do this, take a few bars to nature and when you settle down, take the ice a couple of tens of meters from your location, all the mosquitoes in the area will flock to its smell. It turns out that carbon dioxide for insects has a subtle, attractive scent.
You need to get rid of all the dry ice that you took on the hike, if you leave even a little near the tent or, even worse, in it, you risk being bitten from head to toe by mosquitoes.
How to use dry ice for your party
Today you will not surprise anyone with the usual gatherings at the birthday table, but you can arrange a bright holiday even at home, if you have some dry ice. An unforgettable celebration with tricks can be prepared for children, but it will also be interesting for adults to take part in it!
Inflating a balloon with dry ice
This focus should be carried out by an adult, following safety rules. To do this, you need to take an ordinary ball, preferably not thin, of high quality, and put a small piece of dry ice into it through the hole. Then just tie the ball tightly with the thread. Wait a few minutes and it will start to inflate on its own! This spectacle will become a real magic for children.
Do not use a lot of dry ice for this trick, otherwise the ball will quickly inflate and burst, because the gas will rapidly evaporate and burst thin rubber.
Making smoke out of dry ice
In order to enhance the romantic atmosphere during the dance of the bride and groom, or simply create a special effect during a home disco, you can make a fog from dry ice yourself.
For this purpose, you will need some fairly large sticks of carbon dioxide, because dense white vapor will only come from a large enough amount of ice. If you need to achieve the maximum concentration of dense fog, take warm water into a container and dip dry ice into it, and if you need to stretch the process, use cold water.
You can prepare several containers of water by placing them in the room where you plan to dance. In this case, mystical smoke will envelop the entire room and guests of the holiday.
How to make a giant bubble with dry ice
Large soap bubbles are an indispensable attribute of any children's party. You can use carbon dioxide to create a focus that results in one dense white bubble surrounded by steam in a matter of minutes. Such a miracle at the holiday will surprise guests of any age.
This does not require combining several ingredients like soap, shampoo and glycerin. Just put a heavy block of dry ice weighing about 500-700 g on the bottom of a deep glass container with wide edges and fill it with a liter of distilled water.
Prepare in advance a piece of natural fabric, the length of which will be greater than the diameter of the glass container, and the width of 5-10 cm, soak it well in dishwashing liquid. With this cloth, run along the edges of the container, as if cutting off the thick steam that will pour out of it.
Wait just a few seconds, and before your eyes, a white dense bubble will begin to appear from the container, which will inflate to an impressive volume, and then burst, leaving behind a wave of white vapor. The effect will be amazing!
How to make dry ice at home - watch the video:
Dry ice in everyday life is an amazing substance that helps to preserve food no worse than a refrigerator and makes it possible to organize enchanting holidays, doing entertaining and spectacular tricks. But it is not recommended to use this gas too often at home, as it can cause discomfort in large quantities.
