Hello to all psychonauts
! This thread is really interesting, thanks to those who started it and participated.
I would like to recap the home method without too much equipment or toxic chemicals, tell me if I understood correctly and I would need some clarifications along the way, thank you in advance and regardless!
Ah sorry for my bad English I hope you understand!
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**PREMISE and some questions:
**1. Hypothetical comparison between 2 Zeolites:
**Chemical Composition and Effect on pH:
- Zeolite Y: Synthetic and can be modified to have a higher ion exchange capacity, which facilitates alkalinization with sodium bicarbonate. Not edible.
- Clinoptilolite: Natural, contains minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which can affect the ability to reach a pH of 9 with sodium bicarbonate. Edible.
**Porosity:
- Zeolite Y: Higher porosity, facilitates catalytic conversion due to large pores.
- Clinoptilolite: Lower porosity, but still usable for catalysis.
**Particle Size:
Does finer powder increase efficiency? There are various sizes for both Zeolite Y and Clinoptilolite, but if my research is correct, Zeolite Y should be smaller but harder to filter.
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*2. I remembered I have some clinoptilolite zeolite that was "double activated." I asked and researched, and this hypothetical comparison (surely to be reviewed) emerged between Activated Clinoptilolite and Double Activated Clinoptilolite regarding Catalytic Efficiency:
- Activated Clinoptilolite:Improves efficiency compared to non-activated zeolite but may not reach the optimization level of double activated zeolite.
- Double Activated Clinoptilolite: Offers further improvement in catalytic efficiency due to higher purity and surface area.
**3. The use of vacuum or inert atmosphere in combination with microwave irradiation is appealing, even though a precise microwave is needed.**
Could it effectively promote the isomerization reaction advantageously? How to optimize irradiation conditions to avoid overheating and degradation?
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Method for CBD to Δ9-THC Conversion Using Clinoptilolite Zeolite:
**A. Pretreatment of Clinoptilolite Zeolite with Bicarbonate (ratio zeolite: bicarbonate 1:2 or 1:3?):
1. Preparation of Sodium Bicarbonate:
- Suspend 1.5 g of clinoptilolite zeolite in 10 ml of distilled water.
- Add 3 g of sodium bicarbonate to the mixture.
- Stir for 1 hour.
2. Filtration and Washing:
- Filter the mixture to remove the bicarbonate water.
- Wash the filtered zeolite three times with 10 ml of distilled water.
- Wash once with 10 ml of ethanol.
3. Drying:
- Air dry the zeolite for about 30 minutes.
- Dry in an oven under vacuum or in aluminum foil at 50°C for about 2 hours.
4. pH Verification:
- Prepare a suspension of 100 mg of zeolite in 5 ml of distilled water.
- Measure the pH, which should be around 9. If it does not reach the desired pH, repeat the washes.
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**B. Making a Zeolite + CBD Mixture:
1. Homogeneous Zeolite:CBD mixture in a 1:1 ratio (does the ratio change if the zeolite is pretreated?)
- For example, 1 g of zeolite and 1 g of CBD.
- Preferably CBD 99% in crystals.
- Aid by friction to dissolve any CBD lumps.
2. Oxygen Removal:
**Method with aluminum (minimal efficiency):
- Take a large piece of aluminum foil, at least as large as two A4 sheets, and place the mixture in the center.
- Start folding the aluminum foil very tightly, forming a small ball to apply even more force. Ensure it is very tight to minimize contact with oxygen, as oxygen (and water) interfere with isomerization, causing the production of Δ8-THC at the expense of delta 9.
**Method with Cotton and Alcohol (medium efficiency):
- Place a cotton ball soaked in alcohol in the jar (both the jar and lid should be temperature resistant, preferably Pyrex, borosilicate, etc., capable of withstanding pressure and temperature).
- Light the cotton and immediately close the jar to consume the internal oxygen.
- (You can also use the aluminum method in combination, I think).
**Method with Argon or another inert gas (maximum efficiency):
- Spray argon inside the jar (as described above) and immediately close it to replace the oxygen.
- Since argon is heavier than oxygen, the remaining oxygen will float above the argon layer.
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**C. Isomerization:
*If you don't have a precise oven, use an oven thermometer, placing it next to where you will place the mixture.
1. Preheat the oven to 105°C in fan mode for 10 minutes.
2. Set the temperature to 150°C(fan mode), immediately insert the "vacuumed" mixture into the oven for 25-30 minutes.
* These times are indicative for up to 10g (and not beyond) of the mixture (zeolite + CBD), right? More quantity will require more time.
3. After 25-30 minutes, take it out and let it cool to room temperature, then take a peek by opening the package and trying not to break it. It should have a GRAY color similar to clay (is it possible to put it back in the oven if it doesn't have that look? If so, for how long? It has already been 30 minutes). Reclose it, then put it in the fridge and take it out when it's cold and hard. It will be easier to remove from the aluminum foil.
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**D. Decanting the Product: Alcohol 1:3.
1. Put the product in 96% alcohol.
2. Mix and let it settle to separate the zeolite from the mixture, which may take several hours.
3. Then decant the liquid. Repeat this process (2-3 times) at least 3 times or more, to minimize the waste of filters, product loss, and amount of zeolite in the final result.
**Question:Agitate the mixture for a specific time and speed before letting it settle? How many hours are typically required for it to settle at the bottom? (Indicating the g used and the ratio).
Once most of the zeolite has settled at the bottom, should the upper part of the ethanol be pipetted and filtered? Then filter the residues at the bottom if necessary with additional ethanol? Or is it better to decant the entire mixture (except the bottom) without pipetting?
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**E. Filtration of the Mixture:
1. Filtration Preparation:
- Use kitchen paper towels (uncolored) with smaller pores than regular coffee paper filters.
- Cut the paper towels into pieces of about: 2.5 cm in diameter, 3 cm in length.
- Insert 3-4 layers of rolled paper towels into a laboratory funnel (some glass funnels are narrower, so adapt).
- Moisten the paper towels inserted in the funnel with 96% alcohol to facilitate passage.
2. Filtration:
- Filter the isomerized mixture through the layers of paper towels.
- (It will take some time without an automatic vacuum pump; I wonder if an alternative would be to purchase a manual vacuum pump, adapting it by modifying the jar lid or the jar itself, but be careful as pressure could make the funnel or jar explode).
3. Repeat the filtration at least three times to ensure the removal of most of the zeolite.
4. At this point, paper fibers may remain in the mixture, so further filter the mixture with a simple coffee filter to remove any paper fibers.
**Another question:
Is this where the color should be yellow-orange (delta 9), or is it at the end of the process? Some say they will still get a yellow-orange color at the end of the process (after evaporation), some a dark brown transparent color, even if the consistency will change for both.
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**F. Evaporation:
*Premise: Δ9-THC infused in ethanol is more stable than direct exposure to air. Ethanol helps protect Δ9-THC from oxidation and degradation. But it's important to remember that even in ethanol, Δ9-THC is susceptible to degradation over time, especially if exposed to heat, light, or air. In the experiment in this thread with zeolite y, it seems to degrade quickly (but without ethanol) and continues to degrade over days (will this also happen with our final product?).
I think this step could also be crucial in the loss of Delta 9. The guide suggests evaporation on a hot plate (ALCOHOL BOOM OPEN FLAMES) up to a maximum of 80 degrees Celsius with a fan. But are we sure this won't degrade the final product in some way? Perhaps a slightly lower temperature is better? How long will it take to evaporate for 10 g of initial CBD?
- Once the alcohol has evaporated, place it in front of a fan and let it dry until there is no more alcohol smell or let it dry in the shade for 24 hours.
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**Final Product Color:
Una volta separato con etanolo ed essiccato, si dovrebbe ottenere uno sciroppo molto denso, simile alla cera, di un colore marrone scuro trasparente (forse)
Update: I forgot to mention the fact that consuming the dry isomerized mixture as soon as it comes out of the oven (without proceeding with the other steps) may have no effects precisely because of the zeolite and its absorbent and neutralizing effect on stomach acid, preventing it from being absorbed, as it appears to do in some cases with drugs and some nutrients.