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.
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
