Red Phosphorous turning wet.

[displayfireworks1]

I have some Red Phosphorous turning into a red liquid material. Material was stored in a cool dry place but is near 20 years old. Unsure what to do?
.
http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=2661&stc=1
.
http://www.pyrotalk.com/bulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=2662&stc=1

[yoshisbar]

I think it turns in to phosphoric acid after time, does it not? It makes a great rust remover if you have any on your car......

[countryboy7978]

I don't see why there should be any liquid in your RP unless if was contaminated with water or another liquid. People mixing certain types of mixes keep the RP wet to prevent ignition. Without knowing what happened to it I would be very cautious with it. RP is extremely reactive and can explode, ignite or release toxic gasses when mixed with other chemicals.

[displayfireworks1]

In was in dry sealed storage. The last time I used it was 2010, when I made this video. This is the first time I looked at it since then. I don't know what me want to look at but I did.
.
Here is that video from 2010.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV0N8GMVy3c
.
This is pure Red Phosphorous, i do not believe you can purchase it any longer without restrictions. It has to be at least 20 years old. Maybe I'll throw some Potassium Chlorate in that bag and hit that shit with a hammer. LOL

[yoshisbar]

better be a long hammer handle (1.4 mile or so?)...

[displayfireworks1]

Now that I watch that video again, it looks like it was starting to go bad in 2010. It was slower to go off than it normally would.

[countryboy7978]

Although you can still obtain RP it is very hard to get because no chemical supplier wants to be held liable to the DEA. It's a main ingredient in illicit drug production and outside of pharmaceuticals, match production and other industrial uses, it does not have many legitimate hobby uses. Armstrongs is one pyro mixture I refuse to mess with.

[displayfireworks1]

I was reading it will slowly absorb moisture. I had it stored in a plastic bag , then in two sealed containers and it still went bad. It is at least 20 years old. I think tomorrow i'll set it out in the sun on some plywood and if it starts to dry I'll just light it. It does give off poisonous gas when it burns. Just ask this guy in his underwear.
.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9mLUB_pKQE

[countryboy7978]

Lol!! I remember that. If it dries out it should be ok to store. Does it have an odor?

[Kenny East]

Hygroscopic... Was given some chemicals a few years back, no RP... But there was a bottle of picric acid... That's some nasty stuff when it dries out and crystalizes. Proper ventilation, i don't think it will dry out in the sun unless you have very low humidity... Nile Red has a video about RP on you tube, don't recall how he dried his out after concentration.

[displayfireworks1]

.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpxZ8YryDEY
.
Here is video testing it. It may still be good once it dries out. Now all I need is pseudoephedrine and an outlaw motorcycle gang and I'm in business. LOL

[displayfireworks1]

This is the last video of the Red Phosphorous. Here is the link to the DEA regulations starting in 2001.
.
https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/fed_regs/rules/2003/fr06242.htm
.
.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB5sIZiMerY
.
.
Here is what it normally looks like.
http://static.webshopapp.com/shops/035169/files/014410287/image.jpg

[drtoivowillmann]

Phosphorus, even the red one, always is contaminated by some phosphor oxide (P2O5), a very, very hygroscopic material.
It becomes phoshoric acid and continues hygroscopic.
Mix it with a little amount of any alcaline material.

Yours truly: Toivo

[displayfireworks1]

Dr. Toivo , great to hear from you again. I disposed of the Red Phosphorous I illustrated above. Was there a way it could have been salvaged and returned to its powder state?

[drtoivowillmann]

Dr. Toivo , great to hear from you again. I disposed of the Red Phosphorous I illustrated above. Was there a way it could have been salvaged and returned to its powder state?

Dear Friend:

Make a slurry with distilled water. Control the pH with some indicator paper. Add Sodium Bicarbonate (very cheap, please, not in excess!) until neutral or above pH7,0.
Pour it into a filter. Wash very well, to eliminate any Sodium Carbonate. Then dry it and sieve it. Ready!
You can also use liquid ammonia, instread of bicarbonate, but there ist the stench of it.

Yours truly: Toivo