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- CHEMIST'S CORNER ARTICLE #1: EXPLOSIVES
- BY ZAPHOD BEEBLEBROX/MPG
-
-
- UPLOADED BY -THE TRIXTER-
-
-
- THIS ARTICLE DEALS WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR CREATING SOME DANGEROUS EXPLOSIVE
- S. 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 LAR
- GER AMOUNTS. IF YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT CHEMISTRY, DON'T DO THESE EXPERIM
- ENTS! 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 C
- HEMICALS.
- I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURY OR DAMAGE CAUSED BY PEOPLE USING THIS INFO
- RMATION. IT IS PROVIDED FOR USE BY PEOPLE KNOWLEDGABLE IN CHEMISTRY WHO ARE INT
- ERESTED 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 MO
- RTER & PESTLE. IF GUNPOWDER IS IGNITED IN THE OPEN, IT BURNS FIERCELY, BUT IF I
- N 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 CH
- ARCOAL 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 AMMON
- AL, 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) BU
- RNS 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 F
- OR IMITATING VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS. I HAVE GIVEN IT THE NAME 'MPG VOLCANITE' (TM).
- HERE IT IS: POTASSIUM CHLORATE + POTASSIUM PERCHLORATE + AMMONIUM NITRATE + AM
- MONIUM DICHROMATE + POTASSIUM NITRATE + SUGAR + SULFUR + IRON FILINGS + CHARCOA
- L + ZINC DUST + SOME COLORING AGENT. (SCARLET= STRONTIUM NITRATE, PURPLE= IODIN
- E 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 P
- URPLE SMOKE) AND THE AMMONIUM CHLORIDE (BECOMES PURPLE WHEN MIXED WITH IODINE V
- APOR). 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 FL
- AME 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 AN
- D 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 STA
- RT THE REACTION, PLACE ONE DROP OF CONCENTRATED SULFURIC ACID ON TOP OF THE STA
- RTER MIXTURE. STEP BACK! THE RATIOS ARE: 3 PARTS IRON(III) OXIDE TO 1 PART ALUM
- INUM 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 ALTERNATI
- VE IS POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE + GLYCERINE. AMOUNTS: 55G IRON(III) OXIDE, 15G ALU
- MINUM 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 M
- IGHT 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 PURCHASE
- D. 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 THEOR
- ETICAL (I HAVE NOT YET TRIED IT) SO PLEASE, IF YOU TRY THIS, DO IT IN VERY* SMA
- LL 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 MIN
- UTES.
- 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 S
- HEETS 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 L
- EAST 30 MINUTES (PREFERRABLY LONGER). TO DETONATE, TOUCH WITH FEATHER. (WEAR EA
- R PLUGS WHEN DETONATING OR COVER EARS- IT IS VERY LOUD!)
-
- C. CELLULOSE NITRATE (GUNCOTTON)
-
- COMMONLY KNOWN AS SMOKELESS POWDER, NITROCELLULOSE IS EXACTLY THAT- IT D
- OES 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 ACI
- D. DIVIDE COTTON INTO .7G PIECES. WITH TONGS, IMMERSE EACH PIECE IN THE ACID SO
- LUTION FOR 1 MINUTE. NEXT, RINSE EACH PIECE IN 3 SUCCESSIVE BATHS OF 500ML WATE
- R. 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. SLO
- WLY ADD THE 70ML SULFURIC AND 30ML NITRIC ACIDS TO THE BEAKER, TRYING TO MAINTA
- IN 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 NITROGLYCE
- RINE 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 HO
- URS. YOU THEN SHOULD HAVE SOME NITROGLYCERINE, PROBABLY MIXED WITH NITRIC AND S
- ULFURIC 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 YO
- U HAVE 10ML'S OF NITROGLYCERINE IN THERE, IT WILL PRODUCE SOME 100,000ML'S OF G
- ASES.
- 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 SENSI
- TIVE.
-
- 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 C
- ONCENTRATED HYDROCHLORIC ACID. IN 10-20 MINUTES A WHITE SOLID SHOULD BEGIN TO A
- PPEAR. IF NO CHANGE IS OBSERVED, WARM THE TEST TUBE IN A WATER BATH AT 40 CELSI
- US. ALLOW THE REACTION TO CONTINUE FOR TWO HOURS. SWIRL THE SLURRY AND FILTER I
- T. 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 REA
- CTION IS NOT ALL THAT DANGEROUS YOU CAN USE LARGER AMOUNTS IF NECESSARY FOR LAR
- GER 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 CR
- EATED.
-
-
-
-
-
- THERE ARE MANY OTHER EXPERIMENTS I COULD HAVE INCLUDED, BUT I WILL SAVE THEM F
- OR THE NEXT CHEMIST'S CORNER ARTICLE. UPCOMING ARTICLES WILL INCLUDE GLOW-IN-TH
- E-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 DEMONST
- RATIONS" 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!
-
- ---------------------------------------
-
- TRICKS OF THE TRADE..APPLE-BOOTLEGGER
-
-
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