Chemist advice needed....

[Moonliner]

Any chemists out there?

I need to create a reaction similar to the one you get when you mix vinegar with baking soda. However I need to create it using only dry powders.

It needs to be non-toxic in small quantities, stable over long durations (ie no dry ice), and not to expensive or hard to acquire.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Ghoulish Delight]

Define "similar". Is it release of CO2 that you're after?

[Moonliner]

Define "similar". Is it release of CO2 that you're after?

CO2 is not important, I want the POP.

[DisneyFan25863]

CO2 is not important, I want the POP.

With foaming and bubbling and such?

[Moonliner]

With foaming and bubbling and such?

I just want to mix A and B, seal it in a baggie or soda bottle and have it go pop like you can with vinegar and baking soda. I just don't want the liquid.

[tracilicious]

Um....whatcha doing Moonie?

[Moonliner]

Uhhhh..... nothing... :blush:

Just a little kid project, yeah that's it. Kids project. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. ;)

[Not Afraid]

I think you're just tryin to scare the hell out of Santa as he slides down your chimney.

[lashbear]

Can't do it without liquid. Sorry.

You could try mixing baking soda and citric acid powder in a baggie and then enclosing with it a little fragile container (mini-ziploc, wax-encased, small water balloon or similar) of water, then rupture the small bag, and watch it pop.

[Alex]

I can think of several essentially dry combinations that will provide pop but not in ways that wouldn't draw the attention of the ATF. At least not a chemical "pop" (read: explosion)

If you want to get pop by creating gas that overinflates a container that probably means a CO2 producing reaction since most of the other easily produced gasses are toxic (I'm assuming you don't want to end up with an ammonia cloud), and all I can think of still involve a liquid. I'd also think that if only dry components were involved the reaction would likely be too slow to produce a dramatic effect.

[€uroMeinke]

So this is why liquids are banned on our carry on items...

I think most of the powders would still be caught by bomb sniffing dogs and other scanners, but I think most airports aren't scannin for radio-isotopes, so I suggest you go nuclear.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Can't do it without liquid. Sorry.

You could try mixing baking soda and citric acid powder in a baggie and then enclosing with it a little fragile container (mini-ziploc, wax-encased, small water balloon or similar) of water, then rupture the small bag, and watch it pop.Just like a glowstick! Can you find a small fragile glass vial?

[tracilicious]

So this is why liquids are banned on our carry on items...

I think most of the powders would still be caught by bomb sniffing dogs and other scanners, but I think most airports aren't scannin for radio-isotopes, so I suggest you go nuclear.


And with this post, the FAA is now putting all members of the LoT under surveillance.

[Alex]

Actually, I wonder about that. Scanning for radiation would be much easier and cheaper than most of the other scanning they have to do, and it could be much more passive.

I have no idea if they do, but it would be easier to do without them telling us.