HPAVC/HPAVC CD-ROM.iso/pc/CHEMIST1.ZIP/CHEMIST1.TXT

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The Chemist's Corner
Article #1: Explosives
By Zaphod Beeblebrox/MPG

 This article deals with the instructions for creating some dangerous
explosives. If you intend to make any of these explosives, do so in SMALL
AMOUNTS ONLY, as they are all dangerous and could seriously injure or kill you
if done in larger amounts. If you don't know anything about chemistry, DON'T DO
THESE EXPERIMENTS! I am not joking in giving this warning. Unless you have a
death wish, you shouldn't try any of the following unless you have had prior
experience with chemicals.
 I am not responsible for any injury or damage caused by people using this
information. It is provided for use by people knowledgable in chemistry who are
interested in such experiments and can safely handle such experiments.

===============================================================================


I. Common "weak" explosives.

 A. Gunpowder:
     75% Potassium Nitrate
     15% Charcoal
     10% Sulfur

      The chemicals should be ground into a fine powder (seperately!) with a
morter & pestle. If gunpowder is ignited in the open, it burns fiercely, but if
in a closed space it builds up pressure from the released gases and can explode
the container. Gunpowder works like this: the potassium nitrate oxidizes the
charcoal and sulfur, which then burn fiercely. Carbon dioxide and sulfur
dioxide are the gases released.

 B. Ammonal:
     Ammonal is a mixture of ammonium nitrate (a strong oxidizer) with aluminum
powder (the 'fuel' in this case). I am not sure of the % composition for
Ammonal, so you may want to experiment a little using small amounts.

 C. Chemically ignited explosives:

  1. A mixture of 1 part potassium chlorate to 3 parts table sugar (sucrose)
burns fiercely and brightly (similar to the burning of magnesium) when 1 drop
of concentrated sulfuric acid is placed on it. What occurs is this: when the
acid is added it reacts with the potassium chlorate to form chlorine dioxide,
which explodes on formation, burning the sugar as well.
  2. Using various chemicals, I have developed a mixture that works very well
for imitating volcanic eruptions. I have given it the name 'MPG Volcanite'
(tm). Here it is: potassium chlorate + potassium perchlorate + ammonium nitrate
+ ammonium dichromate + potassium nitrate + sugar + sulfur + iron filings +
charcoal + zinc dust + some coloring agent. (scarlet= strontium nitrate,
purple= iodine crystals, yellow= sodium chloride, crimson= calcium chloride,
etc...).
  3. So, do you think water puts out fires? In this one, it starts it. Mixture:
ammonium nitrate + ammonium chloride + iodine + zinc dust. When a drop or two
of water is added, the ammonium nitrate forms nitric acid which reacts with the
zinc to produce hydrogen and heat. The heat vaporizes the iodine (giving off
purple smoke) and the ammonium chloride (becomes purple when mixed with iodine
vapor). It also may ignite the hydrogen and begin burning.
     Ammonium nitrate: 8 grams
     Ammonium choride: 1 gram
     Zinc dust: 8 grams
     Iodine crystals: 1 gram
  4. Potassium permanganate + glycerine when mixed produces a purple-colored
flame in 30 secs-1 min. Works best if the potassium permanganate is finely
ground.
  5. Calcium carbide + water releases acetylene gas (highly flammable gas used
in blow torches...)

II. Thermite reaction.

  The Thermite reaction is used in welding, because it generates molten iron
and temperatures of 3500 C (6000F+). It uses one of the previous reactions that
I talked about to START it!

  Starter=potassium chlorate + sugar
  Main pt.= iron (III) oxide + aluminum powder (325 mesh or finer)

    Put the potassium chlorare + sugar around and on top of the main pt. To
start the reaction, place one drop of concentrated sulfuric acid on top of the
starter mixture. STEP BACK! The ratios are: 3 parts iron(III) oxide to 1 part
aluminum powder to 1 part potassium chlorate to 1 part sugar.
 When you first do it, try 3g:1g:1g:1g!
 Also, there is an alternative starter for the Thermite reaction. The
alternative is potassium permanganate + glycerine. Amounts: 55g iron(III)
oxide, 15g aluminum powder, 25g potassium permanganate, 6ml glycerine.

III. Nitrogen-containing high explosives.

  A. Mercury(II) Fulminate
      To produce Mercury(II) Fulminate, a very sensitive shock explosive, one
might assume that it could be formed by adding Fulminic acid to mercury. This
is somewhat difficult since Fulminic acid is very unstable and cannot be
purchased. I did some research and figured out a way to make it without
fulminic acid. You add 2 parts nitric acid to 2 parts alcohol to 1 part
mercury. This is theoretical (I have not yet tried it) so please, if you try
this, do it in very* small amounts and tell me the results.

  B. Nitrogen Triiodide
      Nitrogen Triiodide is a very powerful and very shock sensitive explosive.
Never store it and be carful when you're around it- sound, air movements, and
other tiny things could set it off.

Materials-
   2-3g Iodine
   15ml conc. ammonia
   8 sheets filter paper
   50ml beaker
   feather mounted on a two meter pole
   ear plugs
   tape
   spatula
   stirring rod

  Add 2-3g Iodine to 15ml ammonia in the 50ml beaker. Stir, let stand for 5
minutes.
DO THE FOLLOWING WITHIN 5 MINUTES!
   Retain the solid, decant the liquid (pour off the liquid but keep the brown
solid...). Scape the brown residue of Nitrogen Triiodide onto a stack of four
sheets of filter paper. Divide solid into four parts, putting each on a
seperate sheet of dry filter paper. Tape in position, leave to dry undisturbed
for AT LEAST 30 minutes (preferrably longer). To detonate, touch with feather.
(WEAR EAR PLUGS WHEN DETONATING OR COVER EARS- IT IS VERY LOUD!)

  C. Cellulose Nitrate (Guncotton)

       Commonly known as Smokeless powder, Nitrocellulose is exactly that- it
does not give off smoke when it burns.

Materials-
  70ml concentrated sulfuric acid
  30ml concentrated nitric acid
  5g absorbent cotton
  250ml 1M sodium bicarbonate
  250ml beaker
  ice bath
  tongs
  paper towels

   Place 250ml beaker in the ice bath, add 70ml sulfuric acid, 30 ml nitric
acid. Divide cotton into .7g pieces. With tongs, immerse each piece in the acid
solution for 1 minute. Next, rinse each piece in 3 successive baths of 500ml
water. Use fresh water for each piece. Then immerse in 250ml 1M sodium
bicarbonate. If it bubbles, rinse in water once more until no bubbling occurs.
Squeeze dry and spread on paper towels to dry overnight.


  D. Nitroglycerine

    Nitroglycerine is a *VERY* dangerous shock sensitive explosive. It is used
in making dynamite, among other things.
    I am not sure as to the proportions and amounts of chemicals to be used, so
I shall use estimates.

Materials-
  70ml conc. sulfuric acid
  30ml conc. nitric acid
  10 ml glycerine
  ice bath
  150ml beaker

   Put the 150ml beaker in the ice bath and make sure that it is very cold.
Slowly add the 70ml sulfuric and 30ml nitric acids to the beaker, trying to
maintain a low temperature. When the temperature starts to level off, add about
10ml glycerine. If it turns brown or looks funny, **RUN LIKE HELL**. When
Nitroglycerine turns brown, that means it's ready to explode... If it stays
clear and all works well, keep the temperature as low as you can and let it sit
for a few hours. You then should have some Nitroglycerine, probably mixed with
nitric and sulfuric acids. When you set it off, you must not be nearby.
Nitroglycerine can fill 10,000 times its original area with expanding gases.
This means that if you have 10ml's of Nitroglycerine in there, it will produce
some 100,000ml's of gases.
   To make it into dynamite, the Nitroglycerine must be absorbed into something
like wood pulp or diamaeceous earth (spelled something like that).


IV. Other stuff

  A. Peroxyacetone

   Peroxyacetone is extremely flammable and has been reported to be shock
sensitive.

Materials-
  4ml Acetone
  4ml 30% Hydrogen Peroxide
  4 drops conc. hydrochloric acid
  150mm test tube

 Add 4ml acetone and 4ml hydrogen peroxide to the test tube. Then add 4 drops
concentrated hydrochloric acid. In 10-20 minutes a white solid should begin to
appear. If no change is observed, warm the test tube in a water bath at 40
celsius. Allow the reaction to continue for two hours. Swirl the slurry and
filter it. Leave out on filter paper to dry for at least two hours. To ignite,
light a candle tied to a meter stick and light it (while staying at least a
meter away).

  B. Smoke smoke smoke...

   The following reaction should produce a fair amount of smoke. Since this
reaction is not all that dangerous you can use larger amounts if necessary for
larger amounts of smoke.

   6g zinc powder
   1g sulfur powder

    Insert a red hot wire into the pile, step back. A lot of smoke should be
created.




 There are many other experiments I could have included, but I will save them
for the next Chemist's Corner article. Upcoming articles will include
Glow-in-the-dark reactions, 'party' reactions, things you can do with household
chemicals, and more...

 I would like to give credit to a book by Shakashari entitled "Chemical
Demonstrations" for a few of the precise amounts of chemicals in some
experiments.


 This is it for Chemist's Corner #1... look for Chemist's Corner #2: What to do
with household chemicals...

            ...Zaphod Beeblebrox/MPG!