Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Very basic question -- copper sulphate potassium nitrate

zipwolf - 13-10-2004 at 00:17

My question is

I am making a basic smokebomb mixture using KNO3 and sugar, if i melted the mixture with copper sulphate as well would this have any adverse effects upon the KNO3. I dont really want to blow my arm off for the sake of some smoke bombs.

If its not possible to melt the sulphate into the mixture (i remember that with heat, it loses its colour and goes cold, so it would probably do something to it) would it be possible to mix it in with the mixture as its cooling without any difficulties?

Sorry for the basic question, just looking for an answer.

darkflame89 - 13-10-2004 at 02:42

I do not really understand your question. Sorry. You want to use copper sulphate for its cooling properties!!?? I don't know but i think the heat produced from the exothermic reaction will just dehydrate it to the anhydrous form and dampen the mixture.

BromicAcid - 13-10-2004 at 15:41

Why did you mix / do you want to mix copper sulfate with your smoke mixture?

This will not make your mixture more energtic, you will not blow your arm off with it. The only thing this will do is make your mixture burn slower/not at all/with a blue tinge to the flame.

You could melt sulfate directly into the mix if you so wanted, some of it may even dehydrate and turn a lighter color. I doubt you will totally dehydrate it without setting the composition on fire. If it dehydrates your final product will be hygroscopic and get damp from sitting around. There would be no problem in adding the CuSO4 in as it is cooling.

FrankRizzo - 15-10-2004 at 18:48

My take on his post, is that he just wants to play mad scientist and mix a little of this with a little of that and not do any thinking. Is that about right, Zipwolf?

If that's the case, I strongly suggest that you read a basic chemistry book before f*cking around with things that you have read about on this forum or others. More often than not, procedures are abbreviated and simple lab safety precautions are not mentioned. This forum is not conducive to cookbook chemistry.

Granted, mixing potassium nitrate and sugar together probably won't cause you any problems, but if you start dabbling in things that you shouldn't, you will get hurt.

neutrino - 16-10-2004 at 05:34

CuSO<sub>4</sub> + 2KNO<sub>3</sub> <---> Cu(NO<sub>3</sub>;)<sub>2</sub> + K<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>

Cu(NO<sub>3</sub>;)<sub>2</sub> --170*C--> CuO + 2NO<sub>2</sub> + 1/2 O<sub>2</sub>

This should generate a good deal of NOx, so be careful if you do it.

mark - 3-11-2004 at 19:25

Andy boy has some done some experimenting with this mixture. It’s on his site if it is still up? It makes it burn a fair bit slower is I remember correctly.

The_Davster - 3-11-2004 at 20:13

Quote:
Originally posted by mark
It's on his site if it is still up? .


Andyboy shut down his site. Unfortunatly.