KS Fluid
KS Fluid was a Soviet incendiary agent used during World War II as an anti-tank weapon. It was used in bottles which had to be thrown into the tank's engine intake. It has no civilian applications, so making it is a prime example of kewlism.
The mixture is also known under several other names, such as KS mixture, Koshkin mixture.
Contents
Properties
KS Fluid is a yellow or greenish yellow liquid. It burns with a very hot flame and is capable of self-igniting if left in open air. It resembles the fictional incediary "Wildfire" from the TV series "Game of Thrones" very much in its properties. While burning, it emits noxious fumes of sulfur dioxide and phosphorus pentoxide smoke.
Components
- Carbon disulfide - solvent;
- Sulfur and white phosphorus - dissolved in the solvent;
- If one wants to completely emulate the "Wildfire", down to the green flame, one should add triethyl borate to the mixture.
Availability
KS Fluid is a deprecated military incendiary, so it is not available for sale. However, one can discover bottles of old KS-Fluid in World War II battlefield excavation sites in Eastern Europe, especially Russia and Belarus. Accidentally breaking such a bottle with a shovel can be very dangerous.
Handling
Safety
KS Fluid is toxic and pyrophoric.
Storage
It can be stored in completely sealed bottles.
Disposal
KS Fluid can be destroyed by burning. This should be performed in open air, due to large amounts of sulfur dioxide and phosphorus pentoxide emitted.
