RU_KLO - 31-7-2025 at 03:53
I know that fumming nitric acid, puts nitrile/latex gloves on fire.
But also that 60% nitric acid does not.
I have currently a beaker dissolving some metals, which is inside in another beaker with some sodium carbonate to absorve the acidic gases.
This beaker is capped with a nitrile glove attached with rubber bands.
The generation of NO/NO2 gases is not very high, but you can see the interior of the beaker mildly orange.
Could the nitrile glove get on fire?
teodor - 31-7-2025 at 06:32
I can hardly imagine NO2 can put any rubber on fire especially in gaseous state. But surely it can eat through.
There are not so many things hypergolic with NO2, otherwise we would know.
Make an experiment with turpentine. It is hypergolic even with usual (not fuming) HNO3. But in NO2 N has +4 oxidation state, not +5.
[Edited on 31-7-2025 by teodor]
bnull - 31-7-2025 at 09:01
Degradation, yes; fire, not likely. It would need (a) condensation of water and nitric acid vapors on the surface of the glove in contact with the
gases, (b) absorption of dioxide by the condensate, (c) absence of reaction between condensate and rubber until the concentration reaches the right
spot for combustion. It would be really fun to watch if it were to happen.