Making Fuming Nitric Acid
Warning: This experiment deals with dangerous and toxic chemicals.
Fuming nitric acid is defined as having a concentration of HNO3 greater than 86%. This is much higher than the conventional 68% of common lab nitric acid.
The reaction between the nitric acid and the nitrile and latex gloves is extremely exothermic and violent. It is often recommended to avoid using gloves altogether when working with fuming nitric acid unless resistant gloves are available (e.g. butyl rubber gloves or Ansell brand laminated film gloves which were suggested by user Atomosphysica). Regular concentrated nitric acid is still not good to use with latex gloves. Latex offers little to no protection. Nitric acid can quickly penetrate the glove and then irritate skin.
Fuming nitric acid is not nearly as common and it is used in much fewer reactions. For example, for the synthesis of high explosives. The high concentration of HNO3 is required in order to nitrate a molecule several times. For example, TNT, or tri-nitrotuluene, is prepared using fuming nitric acid. It is possible to di-nitrate it using concentrated nitric acid, but the third nitration is unlikely to occur, so yield will be zero or uselessly low.
120
views
Making Magnesium Silicide and Explosive Silane Gas
Warning: this experiment is dangerous and possibly explosive. Proper care must be taken.
Magnesium silicide reacts with HCl to produce silane gas. Silane gas is pyrophoric, which means that it spontaneously combusts in contact with air at temperatures below 54C. The silane gas erupts into flames when it contacts air and makes small popping noises.
72
views
Making a carbon snake with P-Nitroaniline
In this video, I will be synthesizing p-nitroaniline from acetanilide. This chemical is used mainly as a precursor for a dye, but it can also be used in an interesting reaction with sulfuric acid.
62
views
Fuming Nitric Acid vs. Lab Gloves
Fuming nitric acid is defined as having a concentration of HNO3 greater than 86%. This is much higher than the conventional 68% of common lab nitric acid.
The reaction between the nitric acid and the nitrile and latex gloves is extremely exothermic and violent. It is often recommended to avoid using gloves altogether when working with fuming nitric acid unless resistant gloves are available (e.g. butyl rubber gloves).
Regular concentrated nitric acid is still not good to use with latex gloves. Latex offers little to no protection. Nitric acid can quickly penetrate the glove and then irritate skin.
Fuming nitric acid is not nearly as common and it is used in much fewer reactions. For example, for the synthesis of high explosives. The high concentration of HNO3 is required in order to nitrate a molecule several times. For example, TNT, or tri-nitrotuluene, is prepared using fuming nitric acid. It is possible to di-nitrate it using concentrated nitric acid, but the third nitration is unlikely to occur, so yield will be zero or uselessly low.
83
views
How to Dissolve Cotton in Water
In this video, I will be showing you how to dissolve cotton (cellulose) using Schweizer's Reagent. I will then reconstitute the dissolve cotton.
55
views
How to make Manganese Heptoxide
Manganese heptoxide is an extremely powerful and dangerous oxidizer made from sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and potassium permanganate (KMnO4). It violently reacts with almost all organic material. Proper care must be taken at all times.
43
views
Making the Pharaoh's Serpent
Warning: This experiments requires the handling of dangerous and volatile chemicals. It must only be carried out in a fumehood or outdoors.
-------------------------------------------
All chemicals must be disposed of properly. Everything will be contaminated with mercury/mercury salts. NOTHING CAN GO DOWN THE DRAIN OR IN THE GARBAGE. Only carry out this experiment if you can dispose of the chemicals and combustion products properly.
Every step of this synthesis deals with dangerous or toxic materials. Gloves, safety glasses and a lab coat are mandatory.
34
views
How to make anhydrous ethanol (100% alcohol)
In this video we will be making some 100% Ethanol from 95% Ethanol. I use molecular sieves but other drying agents can be used. I just like sieves the most.
I am in the process of making a patreon account for donations. I am slow so the page is only partially done. Several people requested that a make one. I'll add rewards and stuff later because I'm honestly not sure what to put there yet.
52
views