LanthanumK
Hazard to Others
Posts: 298
Registered: 20-5-2011
Location: New Jersey
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Spontaneous combustion of cotton balls
Cotton balls are extremely flammable because of their fineness. I am wondering if a clean cotton ball soaked in 3% hydrogen peroxide and placed in air
will concentrate the hydrogen peroxide by evaporation enough for spontaneous ignition.
Just for safety's sake, I wash out all potentially flammable items (cotton balls, tissues, paper towels) that have been in contact with hydrogen
peroxide. I want to know if this process is necessary. Ever since a previous experiment with household chemicals which resulted in the contents of a
garbage can spontaneously igniting, I have been leery of such potentially dangerous mixtures.
hibernating...
|
|
|
gregxy
Hazard to Others
Posts: 421
Registered: 26-5-2006
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
People have been using cotton balls to apply H2O2 to injuries
for ages so if it was a danger I'm sure we would have heard of
it by now.
The water may evaporate faster, but no where near fast
enough to create a dangerous level of H2O2.
|
|
|
bfesser
Resident Wikipedian
Posts: 2114
Registered: 29-1-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Linseed oil may cause cotton balls to ignite upon evaporation, but I doubt that aqueous H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> in any weak
concentration would. Related: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_piston" target="_blank">Fire Piston</a> <img
src="../scipics/_wiki.png" />
[Edited on 7/9/13 by bfesser]
|
|
|
AndersHoveland
Hazard to Other Members, due to repeated speculation and posting of untested highly dangerous procedures!
Posts: 1986
Registered: 2-3-2011
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Quote: Originally posted by LanthanumK  | | Cotton balls are extremely flammable because of their fineness. I am wondering if a clean cotton ball soaked in 3% hydrogen peroxide and placed in air
will concentrate the hydrogen peroxide by evaporation enough for spontaneous ignition. |
No. Spontaneous combustion does not become possible until the concentration reaches above 30%. Even then it is still unlikely. If you want to
demonstrate spontaneous combustion, I think you will have to use at least 60% concentration, and leave it outside on a dry sunny day to evaporate.
The fineness of cotton balls will probably not make much difference in this situation, since it will be the wetted portion that is catching fire.
The spontaneous combustion of organic fuels with hydrogen peroxide is initiated through a radical cascade mechanism. Otherwise hydrogen peroxide will
not react with cotton, at least not readily under normal conditions.
[Edited on 1-2-2013 by AndersHoveland]
|
|
|
hissingnoise
International Hazard
Posts: 3940
Registered: 26-12-2002
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pulverulescent!
|
|
| Quote: | | Related: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_piston" target="_blank">Fire Piston</a> <img src="../scipics/_wiki.png" />
|
The entire basis of Rudolf Diesel's engine . . .
<!-- bfesser_edit_tag -->[<a href="u2u.php?action=send&username=bfesser">bfesser</a>: fixed
broken image(s)]
[Edited on 7/9/13 by bfesser]
|
|
|
Morgan
International Hazard
Posts: 1660
Registered: 28-12-2010
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Tidbit
"Pyrogène: Made by an unknown manufacturer (marked CBG) in France ca. 1850. A practical pneumatic air compression lighter (piston) using tinder,
comprising a small container for the latter."
http://www.vintagelighterbook.com/html/pre-flint_lighters.ht...
|
|
|
bfesser
Resident Wikipedian
Posts: 2114
Registered: 29-1-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Fascinating link, thank you for sharing. I have some old lighters given to me by my father which belonged to his grandfather. Maybe I can identify
them now.
|
|
|
Ral123
National Hazard
Posts: 735
Registered: 31-12-2011
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
With just a little white phosphorus you'll have a nasty self igniting piece. It can be done easily:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A_DUueAM2k
just scrape some red P from the sides a match box, place in a test tube and heat. White P will condense on the walls and you'll have that. In the
video it ignites by iteslf at 3:28.
|
|
|
SM2
Hazard to Others
Posts: 359
Registered: 8-5-2012
Location: the Irish Springs
Member Is Offline
Mood: Affect
|
|
Well !st. of all, people have been applying water basically, a very dil soln. of H2O2. Even with close to neet H2O2, even though a fire may occur (or
a nice boom), but nothing like an esterification, AFAIK. I just don't think the links are there in cellulose to make a jihadi peroxide, but I really
don't know. Some compounds have a high latent HO evap, and, for example some very dry porous carbon, which has had a somewhat benign nitro compound
absorbed onto it's surface quickly.
WTF is it with jihadists what with their peroxides and tramadol?
I guess they get the $hittiest option of explosive and analgesic. Seriously, google tramadol news and its all in the middle east.
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xpblue/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
