SpikedCola Posted August 13, 2006 Posted August 13, 2006 I had this crazy idea, where you could pour something (a powder, or maybe a liquid?) on a pile of wood, pour a liquid (or another powder) on the first pile, and it would catch fire. I was thinking of Negative-X because you just hit it with water and it makes fire. Anything like this exist, and maybe something easier to make? (Hard to get chemicals in Canada).
Rogue Chemist Posted August 13, 2006 Posted August 13, 2006 Chems are decently easy to find once you look hard enough.For starting fires with wood, Mn2O7 comes to mind.KMnO4 +glycerol works as well.and theres all sorts more, but I got 5-amino tetrazole precipitating and must go!
Swany Posted August 13, 2006 Posted August 13, 2006 There are loads of things that would work, ideally you have something that won't spontaniously cook off in your pants (cough), but it could be ignited fairly easy. How about negative X, but dissolving the Cl- salt in water, or using a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid to initiate?
Douchermann Posted August 13, 2006 Posted August 13, 2006 Sodium peroxide The problem with negative-X is that its unpredictable, especially in storage. A few of us have been able to learn that first hand while escaping with minor(ish) injuries. You could theoretically dry all the ingredients in an oven, followed by vacuum sealing a set ammount of the mixed negative-X. Mn2O7 is quite unstable to be carrying around, especially to a camp ground. KMnO4 and a glycol would work like rogue chemist said. People might think you're weird if you bring potassium permanganate and anti-freeze on a camping trip though. I'm only saying "camp grounds" because thats what I'd use it for. If I start fires at my house I use vitamin G and a blow torch
SpikedCola Posted August 13, 2006 Author Posted August 13, 2006 Haha, yeah, I just use wood set up properly, and some newspaper, but Id like to have something fun to play around with, since im ALWAYS making fires. What makes negative-X so unpredictable? And would it be possible to keep the materials separate until you need them, then just mix them together and add water, instead of keeping the mixture together at all times?
Douchermann Posted August 13, 2006 Posted August 13, 2006 Its unpredictable because its been known to pull moisture out of the air and start spontaneously (I know this first hand, burnt the hell out of my ankle). Yes, keeping them seperate would also be an option, or what swany said is a good idea as well.
Mephistos Minion Posted August 13, 2006 Posted August 13, 2006 Chems are decently easy to find once you look hard enough.For starting fires with wood, Mn2O7 comes to mind.KMnO4 +glycerol works as well.and theres all sorts more, but I got 5-amino tetrazole precipitating and must go! Oh man, I remember when a mate and I made some Mn2O7, I had it in a beaker, and poured a little on a tissue. The tissue burst into flames and I jerked my hand back in shock, slopping Mn2O7 and H2SO4 all over my hand, which I promptly wiped on my jumper. I then dropped the beaker as my jumper was shooting fireballs. Mn2O7 + Treated pine deck = Awesome display of fireballs shooting randomly off the ground.
Rogue Chemist Posted August 13, 2006 Posted August 13, 2006 I have since isolated PURE Mn2O7, not just in sulfuric acid solution from adding permanganate to sulfuric and dribbling it on stuff, completly PURE. Now that stuff is absolutly evil. Detonates on contact with most things.I posted the procedure, as well as a picture and some ideas over on Sciencemadness in the respective thread.
BigBang Posted August 13, 2006 Posted August 13, 2006 Storing the chems for Negative X seperately is indeed an option. I stored them in a sealed pill bottle, unmixed, for an hour with no accidents, but I wouldn't recommend that. Store Ech chem seperatly, or the Cl with NH4NO3, and the Zn seperate. Mix on site then hack a lugy on it, should begin to combust. Hmm, anyone have hydrazine and RFNA KMnO4 + glycerol is indeed promising. H2SO4 + 2KMnO4 -----> Mn2O7 + K2SO4 + H2O (No idea if that's how it goes, just bored and sitting around.) KClO3 + sugar + H2SO4 lox + almost anything organic (not practical, but fun ) There are, as said, many, many hypergols, you just have to pick. In the post by swany, I would be the cough, see various accidents and injuries for more info and a pic
SpikedCola Posted August 13, 2006 Author Posted August 13, 2006 Haha, sounds like many fun times. I think Im going to go with the Negative-X in separate containers. Seems like the easiest thing to do, and the easiest to start. Thanks for all yer help! Oh, and Ive got some cardboard tubes that we use for plastic wrap around. Theyre about 4" OD, 1.5' long, and 1/8" wall diameter. Would they be any good for launching arial shells? And are they worth anything to anyone?
asilentbob Posted August 13, 2006 Posted August 13, 2006 KMnO4/glycerin is indeed promising, i think it would be the best choice so far. Has anyone ever modified it by adding other fuels to the glycerin? Like Mg or Al powder? You could possibly make it burn much hotter. You could even add another oxidizer or somthing to thin the glycerin out that is flammable like acetone or nitromethane. You could have the KMnO4 in solution with a flammable solvent too. Alas i still havn't picked up any KMnO4, i suppose i should get quite a bit while i still can. I think it would be neat if we could have it so that both parts are extrudable sludges that we then slightly mix like epoxy with a stick or something, and it bursts into flames a matter of seconds after they contact. I suppose it should contain something to make it burn for a decently long time, so mabey adding some saw dust and parriffin or parriffin oil could help. BTW, empty ready to be filled paint tubes are available at many art stores these days. I think the most common size is ~120ml. Though they should have around 44ml too. Edit: Had an idea, hexamine/KMnO4 pellets and glycerin.
Douchermann Posted August 13, 2006 Posted August 13, 2006 Spiked Cola - That tube that you described would not work for a 4" arial shell. asilentbob - Thats a good idea, I never thought about that. I shall try that sometime, possibly today.
pa_pyro Posted September 10, 2006 Posted September 10, 2006 Or you could keep the H2SO4 and KMnO4 seperate(the H2SO4 in small vial) and then drip the acid onto a pile of powder.
DeAdFX Posted September 11, 2006 Posted September 11, 2006 Silver Nitrate + Magnesium + water = fire. This is not very pratical from a money/saftey stand point but I hear it works. Magnesium Perchlorate (anhydrous) + organic material + "right amount of water" should result in a fire/ignition. Hydration of the MgClO4 should result in enough heat to possibly ignite the organic material(like sugar)? I wonder if it would be possibly to start a fire simply by mixing a solution of a Chlorate compound with a solution of an Ammonium. I have a feeling that the Ammonium Chlorate and wood would explode.
Boomer Posted February 8, 2007 Posted February 8, 2007 No combustible there. Plus, it's too fast to get away. These two plus sugar were already mentioned.
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