siegfried - 17-8-2012 at 09:25
For years I made this azide by reacting thallium sulphate with sodium azide and got the yellowish precipitate. Now I get a white precip which does not
explode using a fuse. When I use the same NaN3 with Pb(NO3)2 I get explosive lead azide.
The thallium sulphate is over 10 years old and could be the problem. I prefer thallium azide because it can be stored dry and is not as sensitive as
the lead compound. Could my thallium compound degrade to something else? It has the same solubility properties and makes insoluble compounds with
NaBr, NaI and NaCl.
Any ideas.
Motherload - 18-8-2012 at 18:13
Well even if your thallium sulphate did break down ... upon dissolution in water ... it will still provide Tl ion.
How fresh is your NaN3 ?
It could have hydrolized to a mix of Na2O, NaOH and Na2CO3.
Now that could result in a Non-energetic Precipitate of different colour.
I do not believe your Thallium Sulphate would have completely changed oxidation states form 3 to 1 or vice versa and maybe formed a different azide.
Sulphates are usually pretty stable.
SM2 - 19-8-2012 at 06:58
It would be far more consistent for your NaN3 to degrade over time. But the colour change has me troubled. I looked into colorXtemperature
transition states of thallium just to glean. If your Talum is half as radioactive (unlikely but small) as even Kalium, perhaps isotopic change over
shorter half lives, and(or) products of bombardment which are especially sensitive. You may be on your way of inventing some new and sensitive
detector. Sorry I couldn't help. Don't forget to mail your tailings and as much product as you can find to putin, as he has great use for this,
acting just like a Black Widow.
franklyn - 19-8-2012 at 09:01
Explosively aerosolising Thallium is not conducive to good health
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/821465-overview
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/821465-overview#a0104
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/821465-overview#a0199
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/821465-clinical
.
SM2 - 19-8-2012 at 09:19
dunno want to start any new friends, but, ah DUH!
siegfried - 21-8-2012 at 18:01
The NaN3 is over 15 years old but a brand new unopened bottle just as old reacted the same way. I will try AgN3 and then use something else to make
noise on holidays. KClO4 and Mg work fine when confined as does Pb(ClO2)2 and neither is as sensitive as the heavy metal Azides.
woelen - 21-8-2012 at 23:30
If you want to use something which makes noise on a holiday party, then I believe that thallium compounds are not suitable at all. Thallium is very
very toxic and you do not want to expose other people to smoke, which contains thallium! Use KClO4/Mg instead, this is more or less non-toxic and
smoke from this is not really harmful.