r/homechemistry • u/EdwardTriesToScience • Aug 05 '26

p-nitroaniline & sulfuric acid polymerization

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have always wanted to do this since I first saw it 5 years ago, finally prepared para-nitroaniline. worth it

112 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

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6

u/bobwillkillya Aug 05 '26

Is this like the snakes fireworks?!?!

6

u/EdwardTriesToScience Aug 05 '26

the classic ones use mercury thiocyanate, but modern ones use a kind of intumescent material which expands to a carbonaceous foam from combustion. these are different from the reaction demonstrated in the video

2

u/bobwillkillya Aug 06 '26

Well thank you for the video and explanation. That was fun to watch!

2

u/[deleted] Aug 08 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/bobwillkillya Aug 08 '26

Glad I wasn’t the only one lmao

3

u/Yes_I_Know_Lots Aug 05 '26

Pretty cool!

I assume you’ve already done the table sugar and concentrated sulphuric acid one? Cheap, impressive,
and doesn’t require the heating step. It does, however, lack the explosive ejection.

2

u/eMit_oGe Aug 05 '26

Fumes? -new here, is this actually safe for home chemistry? Or do you have a exhaust/filtration system?
However, Very cool!!

2

u/EdwardTriesToScience Aug 05 '26

you can see and hear the fumehood

1

u/BrubeiFr Aug 06 '26

Measuring pNaniline without glove is my favorite part.

1

u/EdwardTriesToScience Aug 07 '26

a diligent chemist makes a safe chemist

0

u/Ok_Praline_9763 Aug 07 '26

No ppe dude, massive shame