[Scratch-]

That’s odd... I haven’t been able to reproduce the strength of the reaction that I got the first time.

[jdurg]

That’s odd... I haven’t been able to reproduce the strength of the reaction that I got the first time.

Heh.  If you're using the same bottle of peroxide, then chances are it has already reacted and there's little to none left.  

[hmx9123]

Hydrogen peroxide in 3% concentration really isn't that dangerous.  The H₂O₂ that is used in explosives and rocket fuels is around 90% and is very difficult to obtain.  To a certain point, hydrogen peroxide can be concentrated by vacuum distillation, but I doubt many people here have access to the necessary equipment to do this safely if at all.  Most chem labs (at least professional ones) have 30% hydrogen peroxide at least; this is a lot more dangerous and leaves pretty nasty white burns on the hand that sting for a few minutes at least (yes, I unfortunately speak from experience).  The real problem is not reacting it with metals, but when it comes in contact with certain organic materials; although you can find illegal means for this on the internet, you need to know that this is incredibly dangerous and foolhardy.  These materials aren't even touched by the military because they find them too dangerous.

Some interesting things to do with the 3% hydrogen peroxide, besides bleach your hair, is to use it as a co-dissolving agent in dilute hydrochloric acid (muratic acid) to make cool flame-colorants used in pyrotechnics (think copper chloride and copper oxychloride).

[Nihilist]

You can concentrate your H₂O₂ by simply{Edited}

I was reading that H2O2 over 80% (I think) will have an self catalysed reaction with dust resulting in detonation  

I haven't slept in 2 days so sorry if I've made any mistakes.


Edit: Sorry, we don't need the kid blowing himself up.

[gregpawin]

Ah, what happened to allowing people the satisfaction of knowing dangerous information, and letting the foolish ones blow themselves up with it?  Next we shouldn't tell people that you can get high off of sniffing permanent markers.  Stop being Big Brother Mitch

[Mitch]

This is an educational website not a bomb making website.

[hmx9123]

Mitch did the right thing.  Although people can find information on how to make drugs, bombs, poisons, and other such s#!& on the net, we don't need to be handing it out.  Especially if it's wrong.  That 80% hydrogen peroxide and dust isn't correct.  It just spontaneously ignites.  What else is wrong?  Do you want someone coming back to your website saying 'I tried this and I blew my hands off', then realizing that you wrote something incorrectly and made the procedure even more unsafe than it was originally?  If you're not worried about that, then let me tell you about my procedure for flame-drying nitroglycerin.

[Nihilist]

After a certain % it isn't so easy to concentrate it further without the right equipment.

I understand what you're saying about the bombs and everything, but censoring concentrating H2O2? Instead of censoring something that is dangerous you could have just added a safety warning. I just forgot that this site is for the beginners and the experienced. I'm still a beginner in your eyes but learning couldn't hurt.

Even if the dust does just ignite, I still wouldn't want to be around it :p

[hmx9123]

I missed the actual edited out part of the post and thought that it contained more than just concentration of the H₂O₂.  I suppose that it's not that bad on its own, but it could be used for some pretty dumb things.  One thing we definitely don't want is people posting how to make drugs, explosives, etc.  It just doesn't fit the ideals of the forum.  If people want to ask questions about these materials, we should answer them if they're of an academic nature, IMHO.  Take a look at the thermite thread.  There's a lot of bantering in there, but you won't see any references to compositions, how to ignite it, or anything like that.

[Mitch]

Educational discussions on certain explosive substances are okay as hmx said. If all safety information is described in excrutiating detail, and the preparations are exceedingly small scale, and someone experienced with the substance is relaying the information then it will be fine. Anything that doesn't meet our burden of proof for admission will be edited.

However peroxides are exceedingly dangerous, and even professionals are known to of had bad accidents with them.

[jdurg]

Educational discussions on certain explosive substances are okay as hmx said. If all safety information is described in excrutiating detail, and the preparations are exceedingly small scale, and someone experienced with the substance is relaying the information then it will be fine. Anything that doesn't meet our burden of proof for admission will be edited.

However peroxides are exceedingly dangerous, and even professionals are known to of had bad accidents with them.

Another one which we're bound to get questions on, especially after you realize how easy it is to get the substances off of the internet, is Nitrogen Triiodide.  It's my favorite compound on earth and a big reason why I have an element collection.  It's just that the danger with that stuff is extraordinarily high.  (Since it's a high explosive).  

[hmx9123]

Sad but true.  The really funny thing is that nitrogen triiodide (aka, ammonium triiodide) is actually one of the less dangerous of the high explosives that people could make--it usually decomposes on its own before much of it can accumulate.  However, it can be a real menace in sufficient quantity.

I, for one, would like to not see any dangerous preparations or experiments posted here.  My opinion is that those who are experienced enough to work with such compounds should have no need to ask their preparation on an internet newsgroup.  Everything is out there in the chemical literature, provided you are experienced enough to know where to find it.

Although all chemistry is inherently dangerous, we have to draw a line somewhere.  There is a great deal of discussion about this on pyrotechnics newsgroups and it is an interesting debate.  As an admin on this group, though, I will censor any preparations of materials that I feel are above and beyond the dangers of ordinary chemistry.

[Scratch-]

Heh, you don’t have to worry about me blowing my hands off, I do research before doing potentially dangerous reactions. I just worry about other people reading the posts here.  

[Mitch]

I understand Scratch, but in the end detailed descriptions on the preparations of high explosives is just not within the current mission of the website. And will most likely never be. This is an educational chemistry website afterall, not a resource for future columbine bombers, terrorists, or even worse THE INCOMPETENT!

I'll be adding a few lines in the Staff FAQ requesting that if any moderator catches preparations for explosives on their forums that the post should be immediately edited. Again, not all explosives are created equal, for example: I think there is a pretty detailed method for producing small chunks of Sodium somewhere in the forums.

[Scratch-]

Isn’t sodium more of an incendiary than an explosive?