Adas
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An unexpected accident - READ!
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!
Rest In Pieces!
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Bot0nist
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Was the lye and sulfur mix still molten when you added the peroxide solution?
U.T.F.S.E. and learn the joys of autodidacticism!
Don't judge each day only by the harvest you reap, but also by the seeds you sow.
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Adas
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What? Molten? Man, it was a solution... Pretty concentrated, though. It might have been a little warm.
Rest In Pieces!
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BromicAcid
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% 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.
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Bot0nist
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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.
U.T.F.S.E. and learn the joys of autodidacticism!
Don't judge each day only by the harvest you reap, but also by the seeds you sow.
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Adas
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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).
Rest In Pieces!
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BromicAcid
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Indeed the polysulfide was likely not basic enough for that but you mentioned making it with NaOH solution. That is what I latched onto.
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AndersHoveland
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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]
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Adas
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| 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.
Rest In Pieces!
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Mildronate
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amonium dichromate also react violent with h2o2
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Adas
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That's because of catalysis (Cr(VI))
Rest In Pieces!
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Mildronate
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On short time there can see deep purple complex formation
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Adas
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Yeah, that is chromium oxodiperoxide. But explosions of H2O2 and polysulfides are much less known (maybe unknown until I discovered it  )
Rest In Pieces!
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Sciocrat
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Whoa.  Glad you are ok, one can obviously never be careful enough.
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woelen
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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.
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Adas
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| 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???
Rest In Pieces!
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binaryclock
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Do you operate inside of a fume hood with a shield? Did you have the shield up when you were doing this?
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Adas
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Fume hood?  I operate outside or in my room. I never expected such a violent
reaction.
Rest In Pieces!
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