genuinegirly

The other week in organic chemistry lab we produced Hexaphenylbenzene. This has an incredibly high melting point (454-456 °C) for an organic compound.

Which got me thinking -

What practical use is there for this compound? What would you use organic high-melting point compounds for, anyway? Is there any practical industrial use? It just seems odd to produce something for which there is no practical application.

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"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

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Willravel

If it can be used to lubricate machinery, I'd like to borrow $100,000.

inBOIL

Perhaps a non-brittle, non-conductive protective coating.

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genuinegirly

Ah, yes, that seems like a good idea.

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"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

Daniel_

Insulators in power stations.

Plastics you can cook in.

Light weight parts for internal comustion engines.

Components for militar applications that are radar invisible.

Erm...

I'm sure with a bit of though, I could come up with some more.

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Overhead, the Albatross hangs motionless upon the air,
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In labyrinths of Coral Caves,
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genuinegirly

Daniel_ remind me again why you don't make millions coming up with innovative ideas?

__________________
"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

Daniel_

I have no idea. Can you sugest it to my boss?

__________________

╔═════════════════════════════════════════╗
Overhead, the Albatross hangs motionless upon the air,
And deep beneath the rolling waves,
In labyrinths of Coral Caves,
The Echo of a distant time
Comes willowing across the sand;
And everthing is Green and Submarine
╚═════════════════════════════════════════╝

snowy

I'm not sure myself, but I'm pretty sure my SO should know the answer to this question. He is also taking O Chem this term, and as a chemical engineer, his focus is more on the practical applications of chemistry. I'll ask him at lunch and see what he says.

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genuinegirly

Ooo, thanks Snowy! I'm looking forward to hearing what he has to say!

I'm thinking it has applications in nanotechnology. Was reading up on Hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene last night, which is a Hexaphenylbenzene derivative. Hexaphenylbenzene derivatives seem to form nanotubules with little prompting, and some turn into itty bitty electrical conductors when oxidized.

I'm wondering what else it has been used for. I would think that a melting point in the high 400's would be useful all over the place, but for the life of me I can't think why. Daniel_ started my mind moving though.

__________________
"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

snowy

I was able to ask him a bit ago, and he said that there were so many possible uses, that asking him the question was like asking him what water could be used for. Not a very helpful answer, I'm sure, but what else can one expect from an engineering student when the term is winding down?

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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

genuinegirly

Hehe. Thanks for asking, Snowy! What a fun response.

__________________
"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

Plan9

Threadjack joke:

Q: Organic compound with high melting point.

A: Nuns and Nazis. (drum crash)

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Whatever you can carry.

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Daniel_

Don't get it?

__________________

╔═════════════════════════════════════════╗
Overhead, the Albatross hangs motionless upon the air,
And deep beneath the rolling waves,
In labyrinths of Coral Caves,
The Echo of a distant time
Comes willowing across the sand;
And everthing is Green and Submarine
╚═════════════════════════════════════════╝

n0nsensical

Doesn't have anything to do with the melting point, but derivatives of hexaphenylbenzene can be used for the emission layer in blue OLEDs. [1]

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Baraka_Guru

Nanobiotechnology!

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genuinegirly

Aha! Thanks, Nonsensical. Nifty find.

__________________
"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

hokieian

In other words, he didn't know...

Nimetic

Does it burn, or just melt? Sounds like the latter.

I was wondering how much energy it absorbs as it melts - and whether there is a potential use in that.

I'm guessing that it's not a big transition (energy wise). But it might be at a useful point, for something?

Gee. I just looked it up on wikipedia. It's a pretty looking structure. Like a snowflake.

genuinegirly

Yeah, it's really pretty. Doesn't burn, just melts. Fascinating compound, really.

__________________
"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy