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The WiZard is In
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Quote: Originally posted by chief  |
It was also by accident that I discovered the detonating properties of the matchhead-stuff, after I had boiled it with water and thereby
re-crystallized it ...
==> The stuff from only 10 matchheads could blow into pieces one of my usual Al-foil-canons, which had the inner diameter of 3mm, outer of 7 or 8,
and with which I fired mathchheads through the room for amusement ... ; ignition was by heating the canon with a match, and after maybe 7-10 seconds
it fired ... with normal matchheads ... ... : The recrystallized ones blew it to pieces, with a very loud bang ... |
-----
Unless you are a lot older them everyone else here — your match
heads didn't contain any elemental phosphorus.
I remember these from my long lost youth - match head rockets
from Popular Science - February, 1948.
http://tinyurl.com/32qvbx7
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chief
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It were ordinary safety-matches ... ; Chlorate and Antimony-sulfide or whatever they mix into it ..., + the inhibitors ... ; thats also how I got a
serious burn on 1 finger someday ..., hurt like hell ...
==> So a little bit off-topic, but not too far ...
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The WiZard is In
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| Quote: Originally posted by chief | It were ordinary safety-matches ... ; Chlorate and Antimony-sulfide or whatever they mix into it ..., + the inhibitors ... ; thats also how I got a
serious burn on 1 finger someday ..., hurt like hell ...
==> So a little bit off-topic, but not too far ... |
To keep this experimental —
IGNITION of the SAFETY MATCH
RICHARD S. SIEGEL
Brooklyn Technical High School, Brooklyn, New York
Journal of Chemical Education 17:515 November, 1940
THE usual explanation given in inorganic chemistry texts for the ignition of the safety
match is the conversion of the red phosphorus on the striking surface to a vapor which
then ignites. Some books go so far as to state that the vapor condenses to form white
phosphorus which takes fire spontaneously. It is implied that the only function of the
oxidizing agent is to keep the antimony trisulfide burning on the head of the match. It is
also stated that lead dioxide, potassium chromate, potassium dichromate, or potassium
nitrate may be used as the oxidizing agent instead of the potassium chlorate.
Since it is well known that a mixture of red phosphorus and potassium chlorate will
react with explosive violence if only little friction is applied, it occurred to the writer that it
is the contact of the red phosphorus with the oxidizing agent which causes the primary
ignition. In order to test this hypothesis, a number of match sticks were coated with
each of the following mixtures:
A-glue, an abrasive (sand or carborundum powder)
B-glue, an abrasive, and KClO3
C-glue, an abrasive, and KNO3
D-glue, an abrasive, and K2Cr04
E--glue, an abrasive, and K2Cr207
F-glue, an abrasive, and Pb02
G-glue, an abrasive, and NaCl03
These matches were then struck on a safety match striking surface. Series A, C, D, E,
and F gave no discernible glow or spark even in a dark room. Series Band G produced
sparks visible in daylight.
If phosphorus vapor were formed upon striking the match, it should condense at some
cool place on the striking surface to form some white phosphorus which would glow in
the dark. Series A seems to prove fairly definitely that phosphorus vapor is not formed
and that even if it is, it does not ignite. Series C, D, E, and F indicate that the oxidizing
agents employed were not s energetic enough to cause the phosphorus to burn. One is
thus led to the conclusion that a chlorate is an a essential ingredient in any oxidizing
mixture for the safety match. Since sodium chlorate is deliquescent potassium chlorate
must be used. [1] The other oxidizing agents are added to prevent too rapid combustion
o the head, which would be the case if potassium chlorate were used alone.
The above idea makes it easier to explain why the entire striking surface does not go
up in flames when a safety match is struck. The potassium chlorate, being a more
powerful oxidizing agent than the atmosphere, causes the oxidation of the phosphorus
to proceed at a greater rate than if it were surrounded by air. The increased rate of
oxidation will cause the phosphorus to burn at a temperature much lower than its
kindling point in air. The rest of the phosphorus on the striking surface, which is not in
contact with an oxidizing agent other than air, will not burn at the lower temperature.
The Sb2S3 in the match head burns because the original phosphorus-KCl03 reaction
produces a temperature high enough to kindle the mixture of trisulfide and oxidizing
agents in the head.
To confirm this interpretation, the following experiments were performed. A narrow
strip of a mixture of red phosphorus, KCl03, and glue was painted on the striking
surface of a safety match box. This was dried and then struck with a "match" made of
glue and carborundum powder. The red phosphorus-potassium chlorate strip took fire
but the rest of the striking surface remained unburnt, showing that the temperature
developed was not sufficient to ignite the red phosphorus on the striking surface. A
mixture of Sb2S3, KCl03, and glue was then spread on a piece of roughened cardboard
and allowed to dry. A strip similar to that painted on the safety match striking surface
was then put on and dried. On being struck with a carborundum powder "match," the
KCl03-phosphorus mixture took fire and ignited the trisulfide-chlorate mixture which in
turn ignited the cardboard. To illustrate how low the ignition point of the potassium
chlorate-phosphorus mixture is, a sample of this mixture took fire while drying in an
oven at 80oC.
The experiments described in this paper bring the author to the conclusion that the
usual explanation given for the ignition of the safety match is untenable and that it is
erroneous to list oxidizing agents such as K2Cr04, Pb02, etc., as substitutes for KCl03.
[1] The Diamond Match Co. of 30 Church St., New York City, was kind enough to
confirm this conclusion.
--------
Herbert Ellern
Military and Civilian Pyrotechnics
MATCHES CHAPTER 12
Should the binder instead have a chance to form a skin in the top layer of
the bulb, as happens with high molecular organic colloids in aqueous
solution, the resulting "case-hardening" can convert the matchhead into a
miniature bomb-the chlorate/sulfur/binder mixture can burn explosively under
the slightest confinement. Before temperature and humidity control of the
dryers of matches (or, with open machines, of the room itself) came into
general use, the-unintentionally!-exploding match was no rarity. This was
rarely the result of faulty formulation but mostly derived from matches made
under hot and humid conditions when the congealing of the matchhead at the
start of the drying process was delayed or never took place. The same might
also occur in winter with use of artificial heat, though under these circum-
stances the result is more likely a poorly lighting, "hesitating," and insensitive
match.
To continue with the specific functions of the chemical ingredients in
matches, we consider next the two purposes in the small percentage of sulfur
in the head formula: It acts as an easily ignitible and hence somewhat
sensitizing fuel and flame-former, and its combustion product is the pungent
but harmless and not nauseating sulfur dioxide (SO2), which masks the much
more unpleasant odor of burning glue. Thus it is a "perfume" of sorts, whose
place can also be taken by powdered rosin.
Attachment: Pyro Matches pyro history of.pdf (118kB)
This file has been downloaded 1827 times
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MadHatter
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Armstrong's mixture, roll caps, match heads, blackpowder
The WIZard is In, I had a scary experience with Armstrong's mixture when I was 16.
Basically, I blew my eyebrows off ! I had stolen the KClO3 and red P from the chem
lab at high school. I was unaware of the sensitivity of mixing those 2. I had them in
my mortar & pestle(YIKES !), gently stirring the mixure with the pestle and WHOOSH !
The flash in the mortar blew off the eyebrows, put some painful burns on me and
since I was inside my bedroom on a spring day, threw the still smoking mortar out the
bedroom window. My brother and my friend went running downstairs and told my
mother there was a mad scientist up there. I guess I'm lucky I still have both eyes and
all limbs. I came down stairs and Mom laughed her ass off (she saw my -eyebrows)
knowing that I wasn't seriously hurt. The mortar was still smoking from leftover red P
when I went to retrieve it.  
As for roll caps, I made my 1st firecrackers with them. I can't remember exactly who showed
me but I would take a sewing needle and carefully pierce each cap and force it onto the
needle. Ocassionally, a cap would "pop" and I got a minor snap. Par for the course I
guess. After getting enough of these on the needle(about 2 rolls), I'd surround it with scotch
tape and leave a trailer to ignite it with. The resulting "bang" was louder than a standard
1 1/2" firecracker but not a true explosion as the caps would unravel during the burst.
Thus the homemade "firecracker". I was 9 years old during that experimentation(1967).
This was about the time I also shot a gun for the 1st time and tried to create my own
blackpowder. Again, no internet, so I relied on the library, but having no true understanding
of chemistry, my blackpowder had a piss poor performance as one might expect.
As for matchheads, they did a poor job even in thin plastic pipe, a lot like the ripoff M-80s.
I saw so no real thrill. I'm lucky to have survived my "kewl" days without losing
body parts but back then the library was the only resource so we had to improvise. All in
all, not the worst learning experience I had, even if it was painful at times !
[Edited on 2010/5/11 by MadHatter]
From opening of NCIS New Orleans - It goes a BOOM ! BOOM ! BOOM ! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !
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a_bab
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Mood: Angry !!!!!111111...2?!
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MadHatter, you were really lucky with that mortar. Lucky because the deadly mix went off before it got a chance to be thorougly mixed, which would
have turned in a huge detonation, a broken mortar with some pieces embeded in dead kid and such.
My limited experience with this was well... limited. I knew pretty much ALL I know now about it; I made less then a gram, by mixing finely ground
potassium chlorate with RP in CCl4 (I wanted it to dry fast). The plan was to roll some "snaps" (sand + the [D E A D L Y M I X]). I only made about
three; the third went off in my hand (didn't explode, but took fire, and my brand new shirt, a wife present, got an ugly hole and so did the skin
underneath (actually a painfull blister). The wife's anger hurt much more then the blister but that's another story...
I simply got too scared to touch the "live mines"; I eventually picked one up and dropped it on the floor and it went bang. I mean a hysterical BANG
!!!!11 The other had the same faith and that was it with the armstrong mix for me. Better finish up the fluorine generator I've been working on.
Interestingly enough the matches today are using the very same reaction.
How about this: potassium chlorate pills? They were used back then to treat sore throat and would occasionally ignite the pocket: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/pdf_extract/2/4012/1095 (I *MAY* have found this fascinating fact from on of Wiz's postings, but I'm not sure. Regardless,
I like him 
Experiment: on a potassium chlorate tablet we put a drop or two of WP dissolved in carbon sulphide. 5 minutes later it would explode with the touch of
a wood stick and some times spontaneously.
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The WiZard is In
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I do not remember posting it, however.....
Do remember (well my HD does) posting this —
The Chemical News And Journal Of Industrial Science; With Which Is Journal Of
Physical Science. With which is incorporated the "chemical gazette"
A journal of practical chemistry in all its applications to Pharmacy, arts, and manufactures.
Edited by william crookes, F.R.S., &c.
Volume LXXIII.-1898.
London:
Explosives Act, 1875 (38 Viet., c. 17). Twentieth Annual Report of Her Majesty's Inspectors
of Explosives; being their Annual Report for the Year 1895. London: Printed for Her
Majesty's Stationery Office by Eyre and Spottiswoode. 1896.
A curious accident took place in London on September 21st. A stockbroker, leaving his
private office hastily to speak to a client, bumped up against a counter in the outer
room. A hissing sound was heard, and his coat was seen to be on fire. It appears that
he had some chlorate of potash lozenges loose in his pocket, and at the same time a
safety-match box. In bumping against the counter, the lozenges came briskly in
contact with the igniting surface of the match-box and occasioned the accident.
TROCHISCI POTASSII CHLORATIS
Troches of Potassium Chlorate
Potassium Chlorate, in fine powder, fifteen grammes .... 15 Gm.
Sugar, in fine powder, sixty grammes 6O Gm.
Tragacanth, in fine powder, three grammes 3 Gm.
Water, a sufficient quantity,
To make one hundred troches . . 1OO
Mix the Sugar with the Tragacanth by trituration, in a mortar; then transfer the mixture to
a sheet of paper, and by means of a bone spatula mix with it the Potassium Chlorate, being
careful, by avoiding trituration or pressure, to prevent the mixture from igniting or
exploding. Lastly, with Water, form a mass, to be divided into one hundred troches.
By da it do be WiZ aka The WiZ aka Mr. Emous, Anon &c.
djh
--------
Sigmund Freud to Karl Abraham
Vienna IX, Berggasse 19
4 May 1915
http://tinyurl.com/yhhnwvq
My eldest is doing well in Galicia, has reached the highest NCO
rank and calls himself a fireworks-maker.
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