by FlashBang » Sat Jul 05, 2008 3:12 am
Chem:
You are correct, as I stated, I was at a horse show and was working the gate for the barrel racing.... and reading the forum and attempting to respond.
As to why the H2O2 was producing much more evenly, I would guess because they components are in even proportions rather than 2:1 as with regular water.
Also consider, that hydrogen peroxide is the second highest rated oxidizer and is used with sulfuric acid to etch PCBs... and is also used as both a monopropellent and also as part of a bipropellent in rocket motors. Mixing it with the potasium hydroxide could have been causing some chemical reaction resulting in the excess gas as well.
I think more likely, it is becuase it was being broken down readily into the H2 and O2 faster than the water. In water, you have 2 hydrogen bonds per oxygen, but in H2O2, you only have one Hydrogen bond per Oxygen, which should be much easier to break.
You can get a 15% H2O2 solution from hair bleaching kits from Walmart as well. Other grades of H2O2 are available, but be aware that at concentrations greater than 70% this stuff can explode on its own if it encounters too much pressure. Do a google search on it and read the Wiki on it thoroughly... this stuff in high concentrations is pretty serious material...
FlashBang!
Just becuase you are Paranoid doesn't mean that they are NOT out to get you!