WINMX Assorted Textfiles/Ebooks.tar/Text - Science - Chemistry - Chemical Fire Bottle.txt

Text File | 2003-12-17 | 5KB | 102 lines

  CHEMICAL FIRE BOTTLE

     The chemical fire bottle is really an advanced molotov cocktail.  Rather
than using the burning cloth to ignite the flammable liquid, which has at best
a fair chance of igniting the liquid, the chemical fire bottle utilizes the
very hot and violent reaction between sulfuric acid and potassium chlorate.
When the container breaks, the sulfuric acid in the mixture of gasoline sprays
onto the paper soaked in potassium chlorate and sugar.  The paper, when struck
by the acid, instantly bursts into a white flame, igniting the gasoline.  The
chance of failure to ignite the gasoline is less than 2%, and can be reduced
to 0%, if there is enough potassium chlorate and sugar to spare.


     MATERIALS                         EQUIPMENT
     ─────────                         ─────────
     potassium chlorate               12 oz.glass bottle
     (2 teaspoons)

     sugar (2 teaspoons)              cap for bottle, w/plastic inside

     conc. sulfuric acid (4 oz.)      cooking pan with raised edges

     gasoline (8 oz.)                 paper towels

                                      glass or plastic cup and spoon

1) Test the cap of the bottle with a few drops of sulfuric acid to make sure
   that the acid will not eat away the bottle cap during storage.  If the acid
   eats through it in 24 hours, a new top must be found and tested, until  a
   cap that the acid does not eat through is found.  A glass top is excellent.

2) Carefully pour 8 oz. of gasoline into the glass bottle.

3) Carefully pour 4 oz. of concentrated sulfuric acid into the glass bottle.
   Wipe up any spills of acid on the sides of the bottle, and screw the cap on
   the bottle.  Wash the bottle's outside with plenty of water.  Set it aside
   to dry.

4) Put about two teaspoons of potassium chlorate and about two teaspoons of
   sugar into the glass or plastic cup.  Add about 1/2 cup of boiling water,
   or enough to dissolve all of the potassium chlorate and sugar.

5) Place a sheet of paper towel in the cooking pan with raised edges.  Fold
   the paper towel in half, and pour the solution of dissolved potassium
   chlorate and sugar on it until it is thoroughly wet.  Allow the towel to
   dry.

6) When it is dry, put some glue on the outside of the glass bottle containing
   the gasoline and sulfuric acid mixture.  Wrap the paper towel around the
   bottle, making sure that it sticks to it in all places.  Store the bottle
   in a place where it will not be broken or tipped over.

7) When finished, the solution in the bottle should appear as two distinct
   liquids, a dark brownish-red solution on the bottom, and a clear solution
   on top.  The two solutions will not mix.  To use the chemical fire bottle,
   simply throw it at any hard surface.

8) NEVER OPEN THE BOTTLE, SINCE SOME SULFURIC ACID MIGHT BE ON THE CAP, WHICH
   COULD TRICKLE DOWN THE SIDE OF THE BOTTLE AND IGNITE THE POTASSIUM
   CHLORATE, CAUSING A FIRE AND/OR EXPLOSION.

9) To test the device, tear a small piece of the paper towel off the bottle,
   and put a few drops of sulfuric acid on it.  The paper towel should
   immediately burst into a white flame.


  BOTTLED GAS EXPLOSIVES

     Bottled gas, such as butane for refilling lighters, propane for propane
stoves or for bunsen burners, can be used to produce a powerful explosion. To
make such a device, all that a simple-minded anarchist would have to do would
be to take his container of bottled gas and place it above a can of Sterno or
other gelatinized fuel, light the fuel and run. Depending on the fuel used,
and on the thickness of the fuel container, the liquid gas will boil and
expand to the point of bursting the container in about five minutes.

 In theory, the gas would immediately be ignited by the burning gelatinized
fuel, producing a large fireball and explosion. Unfortunately, the bursting of
the bottled gas container often puts out the fuel, thus preventing the
expanding gas from igniting.  By using a metal bucket half filled with
gasoline, however, the chances of ignition are better, since the gasoline is
less likely to be extinguished.  Placing the canister of bottled gas on a bed
of burning charcoal soaked in gasoline would probably be the most effective
way of securing ignition of the expanding gas, since although the bursting of
the gas container may blow out the flame of the gasoline, the burning charcoal
should immediately re-ignite it.  Nitrous oxide, hydrogen, propane, acetylene,
or any other flammable gas will do nicely.

  During the recent gulf war, fuel/air bombs were touted as being second only
to nuclear weapons in their devastating effects. These are basically similar
to the above devices, except that an explosive charge is used to rupture the
fuel container and disperse it over a wide area. a second charge is used to
detonate the fuel. The reaction is said to produce a massive shockwave and to
burn all the oxygen in a large area, causing suffocation.

  Another benefit of a fuel-air explosive is that the gas will seep into
fortified bunkers and other partially-sealed spaces, so a large bomb placed in
a building would result in the destruction of the majority of surrounding
rooms, rendering it structurally unsound.

                                                   Exodus '94