CHEMIST'S CORNER ARTICLE #1: EXPLOSIVES
BY ZAPHOD BEEBLEBROX/MPG
UPLOADED BY -THE TRIXTER-
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.
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...). NOTE: THESE CHEMICALS GIVE
OFF A HAZARDOUS GAS WHEN IGNITED. STAY OUT OF THE SMOKE.
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
