Description of experiment
Below follows a plain text transcript of the selected experiment.
Needed compounds:
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potassium nitrate : KNO3
Class:
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elem=N,O,K
Summary:
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Sulphur and Carbon are mixed,
Potassium Nitrate is dissolved in hot water and the Sulphur/Carbon mix is
added.
Pure Isopropanol is added, and dehydrates the water, allowing the KNO3 and S/C
to mix closely.
The wet powder is filtered via a vacuum filter, and is dried using ambient
heat.
This produces fast-burning gunpowder.
Description:
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The following guide describes the synthesis of fast-burning black powder, which
can be used as a propellant and even in firecrackers.
700ml of 99% chilled Isopropanol is removed from its container and transferred
to an Erlenmeyer flask.
35 grams of commercial soft-wood charcoal is removed from its container and
dried with ambient heat and light.
The Charcoal is collected into a metal bowl, and crushed into small granules
with a hammer.
The Granules are transferred into a heavy-duty blender and crushed until
powder.
The powder is removed, and at several grams at a time, is ground with a glass
mortar and pestle until it is extremely fine.
The charcoal is weighed at 32 grams after mixing, and 2 grams are removed.
20 grams of fine elemental Sulphur powder is removed from its packaging and
incorporated into the charcoal with a glass stir rod for 20 minutes;
The result is a dark black powder.
830ml of Purified water is measured out using a graduated cylinder. It is
placed in a fractional distillation apparatus and heated until steaming.
The Pure water is completely clear, and is now in an Erlenmeyer flask.
The water is transferred to a strong borosilicate beaker and heated until
steaming.
150g of pure KNO3 is incorporated into the water.
It is stirred until dissolved.
The C/S mixture is then slowly poured into the hot water whilst being mixed
with a glass stir rod.
Since KNO3 is soluble in H20, but Sulphur and Carbon are not, the
Sulphur/Charcoal mix floats on the water.
The mix is stirred with a glass stir rod, and 700ml of 99% chilled Isopropanol
is added.
The the Isopropanol begins to dehydrate the water, and the entire mixture is
transferred to a large beaker for filtering.
The liquid is filtered through fine filter paper and glass funnels, and the wet
powder is collected.
The powder is then drained with a vacuum filter, and is granulated using
another fine net.
The granules are left to dry in the sun for approximately 9 hours.
The dry granules are collected and ground into a very fine powder using a
mortar and pestle.
I wrote this synthesis after testing, and the powder performed very nicely.
Post Script:
Dihydrogen Monoxide (H2O) is not in the list of compounds.
Sulphur should not be included as it isn't a compound.
Full Elements/Compounds:
Water - H2O
Potassium Nitrate - KNO3
Sulphur - S
Charcoal - Carbon/impurities
Isopropanol - C3H8O