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These are always a delight to read. Check out the whole series here: http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/category/things-i-wont-work-with http://blog

These are always a delight to read. Check out the whole series here: http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/category/things-i-wont-work-with http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/category/thing...

Steko 11y ago
Sand Won't Save You This Time (the prequel to Chlorine Trifluoride: Some Empirical Findings) is also worth the read. Quoting John Drury Clark: It is, of course, extremely toxic, but that’s the least of the problem. It is hypergolic with every known fuel, and so rapidly hypergolic that no ignition delay has ever been measured. It is also hypergolic with such things as cloth, wood, and test engineers, not to mention asbestos, sand, and water-with which it reacts explosively. http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2008/02/26/sand_wont_save_you_this_time http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2008/02/26/san...
- jacinda 11y ago
  His follow-up from 2013 includes video of what actually happens when you pour this substance on various types of protective gear. It really drives his point home (and is full of entertaining explosions). http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2013/04/05/chlorine_trifluoride_some_empirical_findings http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2013/04/05/chl...
- mjcohen 11y ago
  That's nothing. Resublimated Thiotimoline dissolves before it hits the water. Look here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiotimoline https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiotimoline
  - therein 11y ago
    How about azidoazide azide or 1-diazidocarbamoyl-5-azidotetrazole (C2N14)? It will "literally explode if you move it, touch it, disperse it in solution, expose it to x-rays, expose it to light, and even if you did absolutely nothing to it." [1] [1] http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2013/01/09/things_i_wont_work_with_azidoazide_azides_more_or_less.php http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2013/01/09/things_i_won...
- cromulent 11y ago
  Worth the read for me. I Googled the ISBN of the quoted book by Clark "Ignition" and found a PDF copy online. http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/ignition.pdf http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/ignition.pdf
  - jamessb 11y ago
    There was some discussion when that PDF was posted here 3 weeks ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10683778 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10683778

Steko 11y ago

Sand Won't Save You This Time (the prequel to Chlorine Trifluoride: Some Empirical Findings) is also worth the read. Quoting John Drury Clark: It is, of course, extremely toxic, but that’s the least of the problem. It is hypergolic with every known fuel, and so rapidly hypergolic that no ignition delay has ever been measured. It is also hypergolic with such things as cloth, wood, and test engineers, not to mention asbestos, sand, and water-with which it reacts explosively. http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2008/02/26/sand_wont_save_you_this_time http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2008/02/26/san...

jacinda 11y ago
His follow-up from 2013 includes video of what actually happens when you pour this substance on various types of protective gear. It really drives his point home (and is full of entertaining explosions). http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2013/04/05/chlorine_trifluoride_some_empirical_findings http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2013/04/05/chl...
mjcohen 11y ago
That's nothing. Resublimated Thiotimoline dissolves before it hits the water. Look here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiotimoline https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiotimoline
- therein 11y ago
  How about azidoazide azide or 1-diazidocarbamoyl-5-azidotetrazole (C2N14)? It will "literally explode if you move it, touch it, disperse it in solution, expose it to x-rays, expose it to light, and even if you did absolutely nothing to it." [1] [1] http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2013/01/09/things_i_wont_work_with_azidoazide_azides_more_or_less.php http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2013/01/09/things_i_won...
cromulent 11y ago
Worth the read for me. I Googled the ISBN of the quoted book by Clark "Ignition" and found a PDF copy online. http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/ignition.pdf http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/ignition.pdf
- jamessb 11y ago
  There was some discussion when that PDF was posted here 3 weeks ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10683778 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10683778