Sciencemadness Discussion Board - Water to Fire....

Water to Fire....

jimmyboy - 15-6-2006 at 14:31

im looking at different reactions that start a fire when you add water..

aluminum powder + silver nitrate

zinc powder + ammonium nitrate + ammonium chloride

aluminum powder + sodium peroxide

any others come to mind?

aluminum - zinc and magnesium powder could be used interchangeably in most of these i would think..

[Edited on 15-6-2006 by jimmyboy]

12AX7 - 15-6-2006 at 14:56

Glycerin + KMnO4? Er... glycerin isn't water I suppose...

Hum...

Sodium, or most any alkali metal for that matter

Tim

Jdurg - 15-6-2006 at 15:27

Aluminum powder and iodine works nicely, albeit fairly dangerously.

hodges - 15-6-2006 at 15:48

Sodium peroxide and sulfur?

The_Davster - 15-6-2006 at 16:05

Could have sworn there was another thread on this....

Sodium peroxide + paper towel +water
potassium(or sodium) and ether + water
Doesent LiAlH4 spark when exposed to atmospheric water?

jimmyboy - 15-6-2006 at 16:24

no i checked closely - no thread like this - hmm aluminum and iodine crystals will catch fire? that would be interesting..

Jdurg - 15-6-2006 at 18:03

Yup. But it has to be finely powdered aluminum and very finely crushed crystals. It burns and releases a copious amount of purple smoke (iodine) and a great deal of heat.

woelen - 15-6-2006 at 22:35

Silver nitrate + powdered magnesium in an approximate 5 : 2 weight ratio. Be careful though with this one. Even humidity from air can set off this mix and the heat, produced is insane. You need a certain critical mass (appr. 100 mg from my experience), but if it sets of it is intensely hot and small droplets of molten silver metal are sprayed around. So, be careful!!

Another nice one is KICl4 + Mg powder. When a drop of water is added, then a big purple cloud of iodine is released. This reaction is quite funny. You have a bright yellow powder, which on wetting produces a big purple gas-cloud. Very nice for demo purposes. KICl4 can be made from KIO3 + conc. HCl or KIO4 + conc. HCl or conc. KI + bubbling of excess of Cl2.

Also very nice is bromine + a turning of magnesium, or ICl + turning of magnesium. These do not react. The turning of magnesium just floats on the liquid and does not react at all. When a small quantity of water is added, then a very violent reaction starts, with release of copious amounts of red fumes.

[Edited on 16-6-06 by woelen]

franklyn - 22-6-2006 at 17:19

Military specifications for setting things like icebergs on fire

call for using Triethyl Aluminum . It is pyrophoric and not

readily available or transportable for this reason.

Calcium Phosphide is used in marine flares because this

material breaks down in water producing Phosphine PH3

which burns red exposed to air.

[Edited on 24-6-2006 by franklyn]

neutrino - 22-6-2006 at 18:00

If the water is acidic, throw in some magnesium silicide. The following happens:

Mg2Si(s) + 4H+(aq) --> 2Mg2+(aq) + SiH4(g)

The SiH4 (silane) produced is pyrophoric and the bubbles ignite as they leave the water.

ethan_c - 25-6-2006 at 15:55

Quote:

Originally posted by Jdurg
Aluminum powder and iodine works nicely, albeit fairly dangerously.

It's only dangerous if you breathe the iodine fumes, no?
I'd say the reaction is worth a try.

Incidentally, could my garage be unique in being the only one in the US to have been filled with the gas of every halogen? (besides As, of course)

unionised - 26-6-2006 at 11:02

Spitting red hot bits of Al are dangerous even if you don't breath them. The AlI3 vapour probably doesn't count as a tonic either.

Last time I checked As wasn't a gas or a halogen.I guess you mean At.
I wonder what your garage is made of because if you filled most rooms with F2 they would burn or explode.

The_Chemist - 10-11-2006 at 13:45

Molten sulfur and copper metal burn

Liquify the sulfur first then add the copper metal and it burns

Dr. Beaker - 10-11-2006 at 16:02

H2 and F2.
the so called spontanious reaction of them even in the dark or at very low temp. is due to traces of H2O.

BTW the Al+AgNO3 sounds like a potenrial anti-vampir granade.

not_important - 10-11-2006 at 17:24

Quote:

Originally posted by The_Chemist
Molten sulfur and copper metal burn

Liquify the sulfur first then add the copper metal and it burns

I am missing something. Could you explain how you post relates to the original question

Quote:

im looking at different reactions that start a fire when you add water..

I can not seem to find any mention of water in what you propose.

The_Chemist - 10-11-2006 at 20:41

Quote:

Originally posted by not_important

Quote:

Originally posted by The_Chemist
Molten sulfur and copper metal burn

Liquify the sulfur first then add the copper metal and it burns

I am missing something. Could you explain how you post relates to the original question

Quote:

im looking at different reactions that start a fire when you add water..

I can not seem to find any mention of water in what you propose.

READ THE OTHER POSTS

I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE TO POST ABOUT 2 ELEMENTS/COMPOUNDS REACTING IN A VIGOROUS MANNER

READ THE OTHER POSTS BEFORE CRITISIZING ME, K?

ONLY 2 POSTS OUT OF THIS THREAD INCLUDE WATER IN THEIR REACTIONS OK??? WHEN YOU GET A BRAIN THEN I WILL PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SILLY STUPID LITTLE POSTS

[Edited on 11-11-2006 by The_Chemist]

chemoleo - 10-11-2006 at 21:08

Heh - relax, will ya?

No capitalisation please. It indicates you have a bad temper incapable of accepting (constructive) criticism or facts.

Actually most reactions described here are *initiated* by water. Read closer.

Also, before you judge people by saying 'YOUR SILLY STUPID LITTLE POSTS' I strongly recommend you check the poster's other posts. They are of high qualitity throughout.

Before you post the next time please get your temper in check. We aren't keen on shouting screaming children who can't have it their own way, nor children who can't accept a nudge in the right direction.
Okay?

The_Chemist - 10-11-2006 at 21:15

Quote:

Originally posted by chemoleo
Heh - relax, will ya?

No capitalisation please. It indicates you have a bad temper incapable of accepting (constructive) criticism or facts.

Actually most reactions described here are *initiated* by water. Read closer.

Also, before you judge people by saying 'YOUR SILLY STUPID LITTLE POSTS' I strongly recommend you check the poster's other posts. They are of high qualitity throughout.

Before you post the next time please get your temper in check. We aren't keen on shouting screaming children who can't have it their own way, nor children who can't accept a nudge in the right direction.
Okay?

I am a retired chemist. I think this other person needs to learn how to read before critisizing me. I do not care at all what other posts they make as they choose to not read through a thread before making a judgement against me. Ok? I hope you have the capacity to understand me....... Please think very long and hard before questioning me, ok?

[Edited on 11-11-2006 by The_Chemist]

chemoleo - 10-11-2006 at 21:23

Thanks for refraining from capitalisation.

Quote:

I hope you have the capacity to understand me....... Please think very long and hard before questioning me, ok?

Lol. What precisely is the origin or your pomposity? Do you think your claims give you ANY credibility whatsoever?

By the way I am George Bush. And I love bombing countries in the name of liberty. For I am mighty and righteous. Now please brother, do not dare to question me. For I cannot accept criticism against me, so please, lowling, think long and hard before you question me.

Let's get this back on topic, shall we?

The_Chemist - 10-11-2006 at 21:34

Quote:

Originally posted by chemoleo
Thanks for refraining from capitalisation.

Quote:

I hope you have the capacity to understand me....... Please think very long and hard before questioning me, ok?

Thank you for critisizing my beloved president. I hope your dual citizenship gives you a leader/leaders you can believe in.

Can I ask you what accent you use since you are from 2 different countries at the same time??? England AND Germany???

[Edited on 11-11-2006 by The_Chemist]

chemoleo - 10-11-2006 at 21:40

Shhh.

Quote:

Let's get this back on topic, shall we?

Nicodem - 11-11-2006 at 00:42

Cool! It was about time to have another troll visit us. Though, this one is a bit boring. I miss the really good ones of the past that were actually able to lure members into their tricks. Reviving old threads by posting off topic in order to insult everybody who comments is a really childish trick. (The_Chemist, please go ahead, insult me too. I get so much fun and laugh from trolls like you trying to do what they do.

)

YT2095 - 11-11-2006 at 02:00

Quote:

Originally posted by 12AX7
Glycerin + KMnO4? Er... glycerin isn't water I suppose...

well no, but you`re half right, if you use Sugar instead, that works

although it`s tricky getting the exact right amount of water to trigger the flame.

how about a water soluble Sulphide and a Chlorate
or Calcium Carbide and some sort of Oxidiser, perhaps a superoxide ?
RP and TCCA might work too.

[Edited on 11-11-2006 by YT2095]

woelen - 11-11-2006 at 11:31

Red P + NaHSO4 + NaCl + TCCA.

Add a drop of water and it inflames.

Even better is when TCCA is replaced by Ca(ClO)2, but this is more dangerous. It may even inflame without water!

jimmyboy - 11-11-2006 at 16:40

i only wish Red P was still OTC in the states..

damn methheads..

potassium + water

oscar145 - 11-12-2006 at 02:14

if you mix potassium with water you will have an explosion but the fumes are flammable or potassium permanganate+ glycerine.

Quote:

Originally posted by jimmyboy
im looking at different reactions that start a fire when you add water..

aluminum powder + silver nitrate

zinc powder + ammonium nitrate + ammonium chloride

aluminum powder + sodium peroxide

any others come to mind?

aluminum - zinc and magnesium powder could be used interchangeably in most of these i would think..

[Edited on 15-6-2006 by jimmyboy]

Ozone - 11-12-2006 at 16:13

Hello,

I had found a cool one involving cerium ammonium nitrate, potassium bromate and malonic acid. I copied the text from the ACS safety notes page and it can be found here:

http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=7163

Cheers,

O3

Ephoton - 30-12-2006 at 19:12

hehe this thread gave me the giggles whats your guys idea of a troll is it the same as a hive/WD troll or just a harden patriot.

Lion850 - 31-10-2019 at 13:02

When I was a kid, 40 years ago, I had a teaspoon or sodium peroxide mixed with aluminum powder. I added a drop of water and it went off in a flash that left me half blind for a while and with a white face and almost no eyebrows. Cant remember if I wore safety glasses but my eyes recovered quickly.

Morgan - 31-10-2019 at 14:09

When I was about eleven I bought some calcium hypochlorite 70% and found it burned with a lot of things. Cox glow fuel turned the granules a pretty orange and then it burst into crackling flames. But with sulfur it would light on fire when sprinkled with water. But later I learned it didn't need water. I had put some of the mix in a short wide mouth plastic jar of sublime sulfur bought at a pharmacy, perhaps a tablespoon or so of the mix.

Then I showed it to my 21 year older brother this stuff that lights on fire when sprinkled with water I said. Just as soon as he had unscrewed the lid and tilted the jar to glance at it it flashed which resulted in a few specks on his glasses and a few tiny dots/burns on his forehead. I had powdered the pool chlorine which made it go faster as well.

So after a few wet washcloths on his face he remarked "very funny" to which I felt badly for not knowing it would do that. My mother was on the phone with my dad who was overseas at the time and having witnessed the event, thankfully didn't relay the fireworks to my dad, although her body language would have.

Oh those wonder years ...

[Edited on 31-10-2019 by Morgan]