[NickDC]

This summer a friend contacted me and showed me a compound he made that sublimes in the sunlight at a little above room temperature (body temperature 98°) and it glows white continuously. He's trying to see if I can figure out how he made it. He claims it's made from 2 elements, and at least 1 of these elements is antimony or bismuth. He says the clue is in the nitrogen column of the periodic table because it has to do with allotropes of one of those elements.

What in the world could this be? In the nitrogen column we have Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Arsenic, Antimony, and Bismuth. He says it's not made from nitrogen or arsenic, and since it's glowing I can only assume it must contain phosphorus right? Is it possible to make a phosphorus-antimony or phosphorus-bismuth compound that would glow and sublime at low temperatures like this?

He says it's liquid like mercury metal, but shines like a fluorescent bulb, and the photo he sent me confirms that. Maybe fluorescent bulb is the clue since they work by using phosphorus coating?

Anyone have any ideas? Here's the photo:

[NickDC]

I just got some more clarification on this. He says this white mercury can be made from either antimony or bismuth by changing them to a secret allotrope form which is not yet recognized or discovered by modern science. He says the bismuth takes much longer to change.

It's interesting to note that when I looked up allotropy in Wikipedia, they have a table of the common elements that have allotropes, and under antimony it lists 3, then someone added "and a forth one too". And bismuth is not even listed at all.

He said in his letter that I will need to find out the correct elements to use on the antimony or bismuth to change them to the secret allotrope form and then he adds a little "hehehehe".

He assures me that it's hard work changing them to the allotrope form, but only takes one day. What in the world could this mean?

Surely someone has experience with allotropes and would know a theoretical way to make antimony or bismuth into a new allotrope that is unrecognized by mainstream chemistry right? Or is this just too hard to imagine? lol

[Arkcon]

Some of the attributes in your post may be applied to elemental white also called yellow phosphorus.  It is a soft metaloid (really a non-metal, but kinda metal-like, as they go).  It glows, because it oxidizes in air.  It is alos a litte dangerous to come into contact with -- in "mainstream chemistry" we don't like to play "guess the compound and it's hazards -- lol", we sue, or fire people who play that game in the laboratory.

I'll admit I read your lengthy pair of missives with only one eye open, because when I read breathless text such as this:

Surely someone has experience with allotropes and would know a theoretical way to make antimony or bismuth into a new allotrope that is unrecognized by mainstream chemistry right? Or is this just too hard to imagine? lol

I just apply Occam's razor (heh), and cut out the unnecessary bits.  Someone else may jump in with a particular experience later on however.  The white mercury bit seems like a new version of the red mercury internet meme, which was a long ago made up USENET bogeyman. 

[NickDC]

Wow, I apologize if my posting style isn't up to your high standards. I made the mistake of assuming the people here were friendly with each other, but I guess this is just another place of ego battles, and the "I'm smarter than you" wars..lol

The problem with the idea of this white mercury being phosphorus is the fact that phosphorus does not shine white like this. And I know my friend to be a truthful person who has never once lied to me. When I play his games the rewards are always worth the effort, even though it can be frustrating. But I have to admit, I appreciate the final product if I have to work to get it, instead of just being given it.

I also think he probably doesn't think me deserving of these gifts unless I'm smart enough or at least determined enough to try and figure it out.

If anyone here can help figure this out, then I will happily share with you what exactly it is this glowing mercury is used for.
 

[enahs]

So, your friend knows of a "secret" allotrope of bismuth or antimony that is not yet known by modern science?
Then why is he not publishing this information, patenting the process and possibly making millions of dollars? Possibly even providing the missing piece of information to solving thousands of other scientific problems not yet quite fixed, solving lots of problems?


Because it is not true maybe?

[Borek]

Wow, I apologize if my posting style isn't up to your high standards. I made the mistake of assuming the people here were friendly with each other, but I guess this is just another place of ego battles, and the "I'm smarter than you" wars.

I think you are missing the point of Arckon post.

I just got some more clarification on this. He says this white mercury can be made from either antimony or bismuth by changing them to a secret allotrope form which is not yet recognized or discovered by modern science. He says the bismuth takes much longer to change.

You see, that's the problem. I am far from stating that we know everyhting, but allotropes of the elements have been researched to death for several hundreds of years now, using tools that are completely out of the reach of normal person (like extremally high pressures, extremally high and low temperatures and so on). In strictly inorganic chemistry it is really hard to find a place which was not trampled yet by earlier researchers. So when someone comes with a statement "secret allotrope form not recognized by modern science" my first reflex is "crackpottery". I can be wrong, but your friend will have to show a really substantiall evidence for his claims.

[limpet chicken]

It LOOKS like the glow from white P to me, same general color.

White P will sublime fairly easily, does it glow in the complete absence of O2?
Is it pyrophoric?

[Fleaker]

The most concerning thing here is what is someone doing with white P if indeed that is what it is? Especially if they are a crackpot!

As for what it is, I don't think I could hazard a guess without seeing it in person, which I certainly wouldn't want (anything that glows at room temperatue and sublimates, and is a liquid metal I would like to avoid).


Something seems dodgy about this.

[limpet chicken]

Is it noticeably metallic? the only three liquid metals I can think of at room/hand temperature are Hg, Ga and Cs, the only one I can think of that would glow is a radiocaesium isotope.

NaK alloy is also liquid, and damn reactive but it doesn't glow.

[NickDC]

My friend who makes this glowing substance lives in Mexico. He claims a long lineage of people have been making this glowing white 'mercury' because it's used to dissolve other metals, like gold, down into a very special form that is used for things I'd rather not even mention here because nobody would believe me.

I myself have achieved such miracles with gold and other metals, and turned them into medicines which cure every disease known to man, and far greater wonders. But the way in which I do my work is very long and not so easy. So my friend from Mexico who claims to be part of some "Order" or "secret society" has given me this riddle to figure out, and he assures me that if I'm able to produce this glowing white mercury, it will make the medicine from metals with extreme efficiency and do more than I ever thought possible.

Now once again, my friend has never lied to me, and figuring out his riddles has always proved to be greatly rewarding, but I think this time he is somewhat confused as to exactly what this is, and why it glows.

He has the theory that it is the allotropes of the nitre column on the periodic table which are so special. But I think either his theory is completely wrong, or maybe he is using the white allotrope of phosphor to make this sublimating mercury? He describes the process of making it so cryptically, I can't understand what he's referring to when he explains which metals must be used in the process. He talks about the son the of moon, and sister of saturn, and things like that. But I haven't been able to find any correlations with old Greek or Roman mythology on the planets.

All I know is that silver = moon, tin = Jupiter, lead = Saturn, antimony = Earth, gold = Sun, copper = Venus, and mercury = Mercury. Those are the 7 basic metals of mythological stories, because those are the only planets they knew existed.

So I assume when he says the "son" or  "the daugheter" of a planet, he is reffering to the elements beside them on the periodic table, but that still gets me nowhere.

It's very hard to imagine modern science would not know about certain glowing compounds, but I myself am able to turn silver into a white glowing compound that is non-radioactive, and gold into an orange glowing compound that is non-radioactive.

So this photo of his glowing white 'mercury' does not surprise me one bit. I know very well such things exist in science which modern chemists are oblivious to.

But I can't stand not knowing what he did to make his glowing white mercury which sublimes at such low temperature in the sun. And I don't think white phosphorus even dissolves gold, does it?

[nj_bartel]

Hahaha.

[NickDC]

Just as I remember, white phosphorus looks nothing at all like the glowing white mercury in my first photos.

Here is a photo of waxy white phosphorus:


And here is a a photo of phosphorus sticks:


So the phosphorus is out of the question. I'll take the next advice and do some research on radio cesium.

[enahs]

Hahaha.

QFT


Just to other readers that might come across this. Yes your body needs small amounts of certain metals, such as Iron, Copper, Chromium, Cobalt, etc etc.
But never take anything from anybody that they say has metals in it. Our body only needs metals at trace levels, other wise they are very toxic.



To NickDC, you talk about all this other magical stuff you do that "just works" and have no clue how, etc. Prove it works. Give us an example of one of your recipes to make a metal glow.


Also, if your friend is from a secret society asking you questions, why would you be posting all this wonderful information about him and yourself on a public forum?

[macman104]

It ALL makes sense now...

[Borek]

crackpottery²