Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Smarter ways to get High Enegy chemicals.

DarkVigilante - 22-10-2003 at 16:48

If this belongs in Misc. then I apologize to the admins. I noticed that somebody was complaining about purchasing KNO3 and alot of people were suggesting needlessly complicated ways of getting it. (I am suprised that nobody mentioned that KNO3 crystalizes in year old fesces or in guano.) Actually, aside from local stores, one can go on e-bay and look up some chemicals.

Among other things I have bought from e-bay were: 99.999% Argon pressurized Nitric acid, Aluminum 400 mesh (You can get 600), magnesium powder, powdered zinc, reagent grade Iodine crystals, r.g. Potassium Perchlorate, r.g. Potassium Bromate, Hexachloroethane... Chemicals that I also saw but did not or will not buy are: elemental Red Phosphorus, NaNH2, activated carbon, many fine powder oxidizers like KNO3, KMnO4, NH4NO3 and you name it. Best supplier I have dealt with is named -Tania-. (Tell her Biochemaphilic refered you.) If you negoicate with these people outside e-bay you can get good deals. At some point I bought 7lbs of VERY fine KNO3 on e-bay for a few bucks, (shipping cost more.) For those of you with malicious intentions, I saw a 2 TON bag of Fe2O3 on sale for 60 dollars. Of course, shipping is not that reasonable...

I personally don't like the fact that some of these chemicals are sold on e-bay and will refuse to buy those particulars through this route. One problem is that nobody really looks for confirmation and in my opinon nobody in highschool has ANY reason for compounds like KCN. That IDOITIC post about mixing HCl with KCN deserved the utmost serverity (thanks to whatever admin deleted it). On the other hand, my ethical objections won't suit everyone and I might as well tell people to use these routes over killing themselves using the Anarchist Cookbook. Many sellers only accept paypal and for that you need a credit card. If you don't own a CC, then you are probably under 18. Since most younger people prefer to make bombs, it is probably smarter they didn't have access to some of those chemicals in large amounts. (No offense to some of you guys that are mature...) Making bombs = bad idea. Learning to do legitimate pyrotechnics may require patience and maybe will offer less immediate fun, but waiting has its rewards as well and it may just save your life.

DDTea - 22-10-2003 at 18:16

Man, you hurt my feelings :(. I like NaCN (though I have not gotten around to making it yet from Prussian Blue...though I have the Prussian Blue on hand) and my Chloropicrin and other nasties. They are my motivation behind my chemistry hobby! But you are right on the note that we, who actually enjoy a deeper understanding of chemistry- even if it includes explosives- are the minority. But hey, one of these days if I'm feeling adventurous enough, I might just make some HCN by the old acid + -CN salt route. What purpose would it serve? None at all, but might give me a rush- and that's what my mad science is all about : excitement.

Anyhow, back on the topic of buying chemicals off eBay. I have never bought anything off eBay, largely because I am a High School Student and my mum is not comfortable with me buying chemicals online. Honestly, I am not very comfortable with ordering chemicals either. But, nevertheless, searches on eBay have turned up a lot of interesting chemicals- the most interesting being P2O5! KNO3, Sulfur, and IIRC Ammonium Nitrate are dirt cheap on eBay. As far as KMnO4, I have been able to find that at a local hardware store in 100% concentration. However, some of the chemicals on eBay are horribly overpriced, and it may be cheaper to just make them yourself (e.g.: Chloroform).

BTW- even if I weren't a high school student, I would not buy chemicals off eBay on a CC anyway. They freely report all customer information to the FBI on mere requests, even without search warrants. It probably wouldn't help much, but I just feel a lot more comfortable paying with cash than with credit cards.

[Edited on 10-23-03 by Samosa]

DarkVigilante - 22-10-2003 at 23:58

Now, I agree with most of what you said. However, I know 3 guys were killed when HCN leaked in a lab and they didn't need much. I guess I am more particularly afraid of that chemical, but other posions and dangerous stuff doesn't bug me. For example a thing NEVER to try - put elemental phosphorous in a strong NaOH solution and heat... Product Phosphine... As to P2O5, you can buy that as triple super phosphate at a gardening center at purities up to 63%. Easily purified to higher levels... I also have bought 5 lbs of KMno4 at menards for 10 bucks. So that is the smart way for that chemical. As to prices, you need to negociate. I often bargain with the sellers to get things at about 10% of what they go for in regular auction. You can do this if you have the connections.

I am a fish - 23-10-2003 at 05:41

Quote:
Originally posted by DarkVigilante
As to P2O5, you can buy that as triple super phosphate at a gardening center at purities up to 63%.


That's unlikely.

It's conventional to quote total phosphorus content in terms of the quantity of P2O5 that would give the same content. All "63% P2O5" means, is that the total phosphorus content is 28%.

Yes that is correct

chloric1 - 23-10-2003 at 09:26

If you look at the fertilizer bags they state contents as oxides or other derivatives.

eg.( K20 14%, P2O5 35%, Urea 35% etc) then if you look closely it will state what the exact salts/compounds used. Now I believe you could extract the urea with alcohol but the other materials will need fancy fractional crystalizing techniques.

BTW I have no trouble with anything I have bought on ebay. But I guess we all have to use our best judgement.


[Edited on 10/23/2003 by chloric1]

chemoleo - 23-10-2003 at 14:32

lucky you, you guys in the States :(
Here on ebay.co.uk, you get close to nothing, but at least on ebay.de you seem to get more, especially if you contact the sellers - just as darkvig suggested....
Say, if you live in the UK, than ebay is pretty useless. Thank god there is a guy called I_am_a_fish who helped out in a different thread :)

Well not on this bag...

DarkVigilante - 23-10-2003 at 20:20

I guess I got lucky with this bag... No urea or crud like that. Besides, if you do it smart you can purify that out. But why do you care about P2O5 if you can buy elemental phosphorus cheaply?

Haggis - 23-10-2003 at 20:47

Do not quote me on this, and others can confirm or deny, but P2O5 is used in the synthesis of phosphorus containing war gases like nerve agents.

Microtek - 23-10-2003 at 21:49

P2O5 is also used for generating N2O5 with nitric acid --> HMX from acetylated tetrazocines.

froot - 23-6-2004 at 12:16

I found a supplier selling analytical P2O5 for an equivalent of about $65 for 500g. Is that about the going price or should I haggle?

Proteios - 23-6-2004 at 13:25

Quote:
Originally posted by DarkVigilante
For example a thing NEVER to try - put elemental phosphorous in a strong NaOH solution and heat... Product Phosphine... As to P2O5, you can buy that as triple super phosphate at a gardening center at purities up to 63%. Easily purified to higher levels... I also have bought 5 lbs of KMno4 at menards for 10 bucks. So that is the smart way for that chemical. As to prices, you need to negociate. I often bargain with the sellers to get things at about 10% of what they go for in regular auction. You can do this if you have the connections.


Fertillizer DO NOT CONTAIN PHOSPHORIC ANHYDRIDE... OR SULFURIC ANYDRIDE.....OR K2O common sense should tell you that if you put any of these on a plant it would be dead within the hour. The fertilizers in question are simple salts.

[Edited on 23-6-2004 by Proteios]