madmax247 Posted November 28, 2010 Posted November 28, 2010 So having read topics about accidents on APC i never actually thought i would be posting in this section but here is my story: On friday after school i was doing experiments supervised in my school lab. i was making sugar rocket fuel and made a 100 gram batch. i dissolved it in water in a large pyrex beaker and then proceeded to heating it on a gauze and tripod with a bunsen burner. the water boiled off and then i started using a metal spatula to mix it about to get all the water around the mixture and within it to evaporate. my teacher was talking to me and i was paying attention to the mix when suddenly all 100g flashed while i was mixing it and 1600c of fire went through my right hand. Mistake 1: i used iron oxide catalyst and forgot about how much it lowered the activation energy (i.e. temperature of ignition) Mistake 2: i did not monitor the temperature of the mix Mistake 3: i used a direct fire heat source DO NOT EVER USE DIRECT FLAME HEAT SOURCES SUCH AS GAS FIRES ON A STOVE, BUNSEN BURNER OR OTHERWISE WHEN MAKING THIS MIXTURE. ALWAYS USE AN ELECTRIC HEATING SOURCE WITH AN INSTRUMENT SUCH AS A HIGH TEMPERATURE THERMOMETER TO MONITOR THE MIXTURE TO ENSURE THAT IT DOES NOT EXCEED FLASH POINT. IN THE EVENT OF FLASH POINT BEING REACHED YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET YOUR HAND OUT IN TIME, THE WHOLE MIXTURE WILL ERUPT IMMEDIATELY AND BURN OUT BEFORE EVEN YOUR REFLEXES REACT! pictures: http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/4b434c9de8228a1e5c4516ccc21bb2ad4810c57c176ba1eac4ea0e6ff3fd8bc22g.jpg http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/154a2b9a521f49da3fb75f6f0442431858ada7d56b05b9e8cb3454a48fdc3b622g.jpg p.s. sorry about the lack of capital lettering, its harder when youre typing with just your left hand. p.p.s. i escaped with 2nd degree burns, it could have easily been third degree when you have PERMANENT nerve damage. its not worth it, dont rush and risk!
Richtee Posted November 28, 2010 Posted November 28, 2010 That's definately not BBQ. Yes, you are fortunate in the severity of the burns. Hurt like hell too, eh. Take care of it.
NightHawkInLight Posted November 28, 2010 Posted November 28, 2010 Ouch, hope you heal as quickly as possible. Something else of note, never cook rcandy indoors, whether under supervision or not. On school grounds is probably not the best idea either.
dagabu Posted November 28, 2010 Posted November 28, 2010 Max, Sorry to see that you got bit by the pyro Gods, hope you heal fast and are back at it soon. I have gone through two bags of KNO3 cooking up R-candy for Poi and rockets using an electric fry pan set to 300° F. Using a long handled wooden spatula and leather gloves, there is no way to get hurt if you do this outdoors. Thanks for the reminder to stay safe. I lit a falling leaves shell for you in honor of your tragedy.
Gunzway Posted November 29, 2010 Posted November 29, 2010 Make sure to moisturize the hell out of it when you get it out of bandages when the new skin is forming (something the nurses will bash into your head later). At least it wasn't your face that got burned, that's all I can say. Best wishes on a speedy recovery and I hope that there are no permanent repercussions.
kaizoku Posted November 29, 2010 Posted November 29, 2010 Good luck recovering that is all there is to it. Hopefully it will never happen again to you.
Rogue Chemist Posted December 1, 2010 Posted December 1, 2010 So having read topics about accidents on APC i never actually thought i would be posting in this section but here is my story: I am not trying to be a dick, but seriously, why a flame heat source? For a solid pyrotechnic mixture.....why!? Burns really suck, I hope they heal soon.
bikemaster Posted December 2, 2010 Posted December 2, 2010 It almost happen to me 2 year ago... And it was with and electric stove. But I was paying attention to the mixture so I avoided the flame. I find that the catalyzer (iron oxide) make the mixture much more dangerous went you heat it. So now every time I add iron oxide I remove the r-candy from the heat. (P.s: Went it happen to me i was using lead dioxide as catalyzer...which is even more dangerous. but it was only a 40g bacth so it was easy to avoid get burn.)
madmax247 Posted December 2, 2010 Author Posted December 2, 2010 http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/1d464e2f6478d23f350375d2cc3eb00b833210cb8039f0b311a634da6f8a4bb82g.jpg Here is the image from when I was changing the dressing for it. And yes I was actually told today to use a lot of moisturising cream lol! I used a flame because having thought that water was being used, it would make the mixture slightly safer. Of course this wont scare me off pyro, it just will teach me to take a few extra precautions and always follow what guides say (i.e. in this case not to be using a flame source for heating the fuel) But at least this was an accident... ladies and gentlemen, I present to you what really was NOT an accident, someone who contributes to the amount of pyrotechnic-related injuries that occur each year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOb1qspS2Sk&feature=related
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