Gun Powder

[fibreweb]

My chem teacher want to make up some gun powder to make sparklers. The ingredients are potassium nitrate, charcoal and sulphur all of which by themselves we are allowed to use.

Does any body know if we can mix them and make the gunpowder or is that banned in DET schools. I have tried looking in my CSIS book but couln't find a reference.

(Last year he just made it, now that he is acting head teacher he decided he'd better do it right!!!!)

Wendy

[Robb]

Hi Wendy,

Because the chemicals are the ones used to make Black Powder (Gun Powder) there are no specifics detailing anything in CSIS. Therefore to still cover yourselves a Risk Assessment needs to completed before the use of the powder is carried out The RA should also include relevant Control Measures for its safe use.

This should get you out of trouble,

Cheers,

Robb.....

[pkij]

Do you have a recipe for this? If so I would love to have it.

[lizzieb]

Hi Wendy,

A casual teacher made some gunpowder here the last day of term while I was on leave. I was very surprised when I heard because I thought it was banned, so I did some researching before talking to the casual who was filling in for me.

CSIS Appendix F, pg 21:
Do not mix potassium nitrate with charcoal, sulfur, red phosphorus, active metals (Na, or powdered Al, Mg), cyanides, thiosulfates or acetates, sugar or almost any combustible material.
All these mixtures are explosive!
The demonstration of explosives in a school is forbidden!

Thankfully, it didn't work very well.
However, they also tried potassium permanganate and glycerol (over page in CSIS), which reacted brilliantly and the kids loved it. Just wish I'd seen it too!

Have fun

[fibreweb]

Thanks Liz,

Thankfully ours didn't work either, except for the kids destroying at least 3 of my plastic spatula in the process!!!! But I do now have the gun powder mixture to dispose of. I thought to put the containers in water to disolve the Potassium Nitrate, then discard the Sulphur/carbon mix somewhere where it is unlikely to come in contact with naked flame.

I didn't think to look in Appendix F in CSIS. I have now copied that page to give to the teacher in question. I think you could guess who it was!

Wendy

[lizzieb]

Now might be the time to bring him up to scratch on lots of things then, while he's acting HT!

[Ian]

The CSIS manual does seem to be VERY STRONGLY AGAINST making gun powder, doesn't it! There is probably a very good reason for this. I wonder how that would effect insurance, etc? The FOTI Fire Works factory is close to where I grew up. You occasionally hear horrendous stories of accidents that can occure there under the watchful eye of the experts. I wonder how much damage an untrained teacher could cause?

I believe that the mixture must be ground in a special Lead Ball Mill for 12 hours or so for the mixture to work properly. Just mixing up the ingredients does not work well, and the longer it is milled, the better. It must be a lead ball mill as lead (Pb) is the only substance that will not create a spark.

I have found recipes for gun powder through Google and Wikepedia, but having read all the warnings, have never been game to make it!!

I had thought that the KMnO₄ and Glycerine one was banned too, but having looked that up in CSIS, it almost encourages us to do it! Goody!! What is the state of the "Thermite" reaction these days? Is it allowed?

regards
Ian

[Robb]

Hi Ian,

Good question, but the Thermite Reaction is not listed although due to the huge amounts of energy produced I would tend to skip that one... It's up to you I quess......

Cheers,

Robb.....

[Xenon]

The thermite rx is not banned; see under 'Aluminium' in CSIS appendix F.