Sciencemadness Discussion Board

An unexpected accident - READ!

Adas - 31-3-2013 at 09:48

Hello guys!

I write here to warn the others. Before I performed this reaction, I've had NO IDEA that it could end up like this. Thanks God that I still have my eyes and everything...

It was a simple experiment, making polysulfides. I was heating NaOH solution with a chunk of sulfur until all the sulfur dissolved. It took about 20 mins and the resulting solution had a very high sulfur content. It was red-orange. Then I tried to ozonize the solution, but I stopped it because of low ozone production. Then I thought about hydrogen peroxide. Here I've made the mistake. I poured the peroxide directly from the bottle - just a few drops. *BANG!!!* A violent explosion which splashed some of the liquid into the bottle, some on the floor, but luckily, it hit just my hands. It could have hit my eyes as well, and it would not be very pleasant to have boiling hydrogen peroxide in my eyes... Most of the liquid evaporated instantly.

I didn't have hard time cleaning it up, it was just a few drops, but the shock was terrible. I never expected such thing to happen.

However, I got the idea that it could be used as a new rocket propellant (liquid-liquid) or as a fuel in explosive compositions, perhaps. I can not imagine what a solid polysulfide would do.

Good luck, and don't try this!

Bot0nist - 31-3-2013 at 10:09

Was the lye and sulfur mix still molten when you added the peroxide solution?

Adas - 31-3-2013 at 10:10

Quote: Originally posted by Bot0nist  
Was the lye and sulfur mix still molten when you added the peroxide solution?


What? Molten? Man, it was a solution... Pretty concentrated, though. It might have been a little warm.

BromicAcid - 31-3-2013 at 10:19

% concentration of hydrogen peroxide? Remember that piranha detonates with contact with acetone, base piranha isn't as widely worried about but perhaps it should be. Could be possible that this had little to do with the sulfur itself.

Bot0nist - 31-3-2013 at 10:21

Sorry, misread that. Thought it was molten hydroxide and sulfur. Either way, glad your ok man. Goggles are nice, for piece of mind. I put mine out out of habit, instilled from work. I don't mind looking silly wearing them.

Better luck next time.

Adas - 31-3-2013 at 10:28

Quote: Originally posted by BromicAcid  
% concentration of hydrogen peroxide? Remember that piranha detonates with contact with acetone, base piranha isn't as widely worried about but perhaps it should be. Could be possible that this had little to do with the sulfur itself.


The peroxide is 30%. And I think it was nothing like basic piranha, the polysulfide is probably not basic enough for that. The violent reaction must have been caused by the polysulfide chains (or partially-oxidized polysulfide chains, which could possibly react even more violently).

BromicAcid - 31-3-2013 at 17:53

Indeed the polysulfide was likely not basic enough for that but you mentioned making it with NaOH solution. That is what I latched onto.

AndersHoveland - 31-3-2013 at 18:04

Solutions of sodium sulfides can act as a fairly reactive reducing agent. Some of these reactions can be rather violent when concentrated solutions are used. I would imagine that the polysulfides are initially oxidized to tetrathionate (the tetrathionate can be further oxidized but the reaction rate is slightly slower).

H2O2 with KMnO4 can also react very violently.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_11WR6UVhm8


A solution of sodium hydroxide can dissolve sulfur but the reaction tends to be rather slow, and generally requires some heating. A solution of sodium sulfite dissolves sulfur much faster.

[Edited on 1-4-2013 by AndersHoveland]

Adas - 1-4-2013 at 05:38

Quote: Originally posted by AndersHoveland  
Solutions of sodium sulfides can act as a fairly reactive reducing agent. Some of these reactions can be rather violent when concentrated solutions are used. I would imagine that the polysulfides are initially oxidized to tetrathionate (the tetrathionate can be further oxidized but the reaction rate is slightly slower).

H2O2 with KMnO4 can also react very violently.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_11WR6UVhm8


A solution of sodium hydroxide can dissolve sulfur but the reaction tends to be rather slow, and generally requires some heating. A solution of sodium sulfite dissolves sulfur much faster.

[Edited on 1-4-2013 by AndersHoveland]


Yes, the reaction is slow, because sulfur is forced to make very long polysulfide chains, which is not very favorable. Boiling it for some time is enough. Depends on the ratio.

Mildronate - 2-4-2013 at 01:09

amonium dichromate also react violent with h2o2

Adas - 2-4-2013 at 05:17

Quote: Originally posted by Mildronate  
amonium dichromate also react violent with h2o2


That's because of catalysis (Cr(VI))

Mildronate - 2-4-2013 at 05:56

Quote: Originally posted by Adas  
Quote: Originally posted by Mildronate  
amonium dichromate also react violent with h2o2


That's because of catalysis (Cr(VI))


On short time there can see deep purple complex formation

Adas - 2-4-2013 at 07:16

Quote: Originally posted by Mildronate  
Quote: Originally posted by Adas  
Quote: Originally posted by Mildronate  
amonium dichromate also react violent with h2o2


That's because of catalysis (Cr(VI))


On short time there can see deep purple complex formation


Yeah, that is chromium oxodiperoxide. But explosions of H2O2 and polysulfides are much less known (maybe unknown until I discovered it :P)

Sciocrat - 2-4-2013 at 09:49


Whoa. :o Glad you are ok, one can obviously never be careful enough.

woelen - 2-4-2013 at 10:07

I once had a very violent reaction between periodic acid and sulfide. This reaction was accompanied by a lot of roaring noise and strong heating of the material. I had a wet slurry of H5IO6 to which I added solid Na2S.xH2O (x appr. equal to 3). No reaction occurred, but when I added a little water to dissolve the mix, a sudden very violent reaction started! So, sulfides indeed can react extremely violently with strong oxidizers. Periodic acid is a strong oxidizer, but normally it is not a very violent oxidizer, so this reaction surprised me.

Adas - 2-4-2013 at 12:04

Quote: Originally posted by woelen  
I once had a very violent reaction between periodic acid and sulfide. This reaction was accompanied by a lot of roaring noise and strong heating of the material. I had a wet slurry of H5IO6 to which I added solid Na2S.xH2O (x appr. equal to 3). No reaction occurred, but when I added a little water to dissolve the mix, a sudden very violent reaction started! So, sulfides indeed can react extremely violently with strong oxidizers. Periodic acid is a strong oxidizer, but normally it is not a very violent oxidizer, so this reaction surprised me.


Yeah, can be. And I would assume that polysulfides are even stronger reducers.

BTW. I am now evaporating water from Na2Sx solution, and some very nice sulfur crystals (or at least they look like sulfur) started to form. Is it possible that sulfur dissolves is Na2Sx solutions???

binaryclock - 12-4-2013 at 19:32

Do you operate inside of a fume hood with a shield? Did you have the shield up when you were doing this?

Adas - 13-4-2013 at 00:20

Quote: Originally posted by binaryclock  
Do you operate inside of a fume hood with a shield? Did you have the shield up when you were doing this?



Fume hood? :D I operate outside or in my room. I never expected such a violent reaction.