Igniting without Fire

by Professor Phadrix

-- An incendiary compound - ignitable without fire! --

Version: 1.0

Overview

A file about igniting without fire

0. Disclaimer

The chemical reactions and/or experiments discussed in this file are for educational purposes only. If they are carried out they might violate local laws. Readers do everything at their own risk, the author is not responsible for anything. I just provide information, knowledge is not illegal.

1. Introduction

This file will describe the construction of an incendiary compound, which can be ignited without direct use of fire. I suggest that readers should have at least a basic knowledge of chemistry and comprehensive informations about every chemical discussed in this document to avoid any accidents! Remember: safety first!

2. Let's begin

Okay, let's do it! The secret about the "no fire" thing is, that we will synthesize ozone in a pretty simple reaction, which has such a high reactivity that it is able to ignite other flammable stuff. There's just one little disadvantage which I will treat later (so that means you should read the whole thing before you carry it out!).

2.1. The reaction itself

No reaction, no ozone. So here's our method of making it: we put sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and potassium permanganate (KMnO4) together and we'll get ozone. Unfortunately I can't deliver you a chemical equation (I'm sorry about that for myself, I'd like to know it), but well ... you don't need that to do the whole thing.

So this reaction is the secret thing, the heart of our construction!

2.2. Theory and practice

Now that we know the reaction we need something the ozone can ignite.

Theoretically this can be any flammable compound - explosives too - but there is the point that we have to put the stuff directly above the reaction, as ozone is a gas and will evaporate! Well ... I would not let that stuff evaporate as I won't guarante for anything, so to speak clearly: we will have to do the trick with two layers in one beaker - at the bottom there's the sulfuric acid and above it there has to be the flammable liquid, that's the safest way. And now this is the disadvantage I spoke of above, because the liquid must have a lesser density than the sulfuric acid to form the upper layer, that means you can't use everything! Well ... but there are still many options: concentrated 90% H2SO4 has a density of 1,81 kg/dm3 and that's pretty much for a liquid. But never forget that if you don't use concentrated H2SO4 the density is lower, when you use 70% H2SO4 it will be only 1,61 kg/dm3! Well ... this is the only disadvantage of the whole thing, but if you want to ignite gasoline (average density: 0,73 kg/dm3) or pure alcohol (average density: 0,79 kg/dm3) it should not be a problem.

2.3. Carrying out the experiment

We will need a beaker (any small bucket will do it), some sulfuric acid (depends on the size of the beaker, but the acid level should be about three to four centimetres thick) and as much as you like of your flammable liquid. Hold some potassium permanganate ready and when you have prepared the two-level-mixture in the bucket (acid at the bottom, flammable liquid above), throw the potassium permanganate in and get away as fast and as far as you can, because the results are not predictable! Normally the potassium permanganate should react with the acid to form ozone, which wants to evaporate, but before it does this it touches the flammable liquid and should produce some sparks. If you used the right acid concentration and the right amount of potassium permanganate and the overall temperature is high enough for an ignition, this will happen and it the sparks will finally ignite the liquid. If anything of the three above is not the case it won't happen. The most difficult part might be the overall temperature: the higher it is the better and the faster the ignition will work. But you really have to experiment with that. With the right amounts and concentrations of acid and permanganate you should even be able to build a time fuse, but this requires many practice and many, many experiments. I recommend you to start with very small amounts in test tubes (it might sound ridiculous, but even that can be dangerous for unexperienced people!)

2.4. Improvement tip

Now this was the basic reaction and experiment, here's a tip to improve it. We can construct a special modified bucket to save acid and permanganate. To do this you only have to cut a medium-sized hole in the bottom and stick a smaller beaker to the outside so that the bucket is fixed with the hole above the beaker. The reaction will happen in the beaker on much smaller room so you save chemicals, the only disadvantage is, that the thrown permanganate must go through the hole and land in the beaker. You can prevent that by constructing a V-shape, but that's much more difficult than just sticking a beaker to the bottom...

3. Last words

I'd be very thankful if you help to distribute this file and the knowledge, but please do not modify anything without my permission!

Well ... there's nothing more to say. Have fun!

Professor Phadrix.