Magnesium nitrate

[rthmjohn]

I recently got this bottle of granulated magnesium nitrate. I was just wondering if it behaves similarly to ammonium nitrate or potassium nitrate, ie. mixing it with sugar or aluminum and releasing immense volumes of gas?

[YT2095]

closer to KNO3 than AN.

but reacts at a lower temp 70c lower IIRC, it`s a smokey mix though!

[woelen]

closer to KNO3 than AN.

but reacts at a lower temp 70c lower IIRC' date=' it`s a smokey mix though![/quote']

YT, are you sure? I also have magnesium nitrate, but it is a strongly hydrated salt, Mg(NO3)2.6H2O. I did not yet try mixing it with some reducer, but I think it will not work t all. Too much water.

 

Anhydrous magnesium nitrate cannot be prepared from the hydrous salt. On heating it decomposes, giving off water, oxygen and nitrogen oxides, leaving behind MgO.

[YT2095]

this: http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/m0169.htm would certainly seem to suggest so

[woelen]

Don't trust the safety info from MSDS's too much. This info usually is strongly exaggerated. I only use them to get an idea about a compound's reactivity and to obtain general info like solubility, appearance etc. The safety info must be taken not too literally.

 

Too my opinion magnesium nitrate is not very reactive. It is more corrosive than KNO3, however, because it is very hygroscopic and the wet salt corrodes things more than dry powder.

[vrus]

Our chemistry teacher did a demonstration recently. He should have done it using Mg(NO3)2, but he felt it was better to use Copper Nitrate for "colour" purposes. It decomposed to give Copper Oxide, Oxygen and Nitrogen Dioxide, which was seperated from the evolved oxygen by dissolving in water to give HNO3 and some HNO2.

 

The amount of gas was quite a lot, and considering that Mg(NO3)2 gives the same gas products, I suppose the same would occur.

[YT2095]

rthmjohn, have you tried it at all yet?

 

I would have done so myself, only I used all mine last year on my tomatoes and chilis, and need to buy some more.

personaly I`de use charcoal instead of sugar, as sugar again also gives off alot of water when it decomposes.

[rthmjohn]

Unfortunately, the magnesium nitrate IS hydrated, and even worse, its granular making it relatively unreactive. I mixed some with some powdered sugar and heated it. It gave off some sparks and gas, but nothing like KNO3. I'll try it again after I grind some of the magnesium nitrate. btw... for charcoal, could I just grind some Kingsford barbecue coals? and does the reaction yield mainly oxygen and nitrogen dioxide?

[jdurg]

Unfortunately, the magnesium nitrate IS hydrated, and even worse, its granular making it relatively unreactive. I mixed some with some powdered sugar and heated it. It gave off some sparks and gas, but nothing like KNO3. I'll try it again after I grind some of the magnesium nitrate. btw... for charcoal, could I just grind some Kingsford barbecue coals? and does the reaction yield mainly oxygen and nitrogen dioxide?

 

No, you cannot use the store bought charcoal. That stuff is mixed with a bunch of organic compounds designed to let them light easier for grilling. As a source of pyrotechnic 'fuel', they're pretty useless thanks to that lighter-fluid type contamination.

[YT2095]

propper lumpwood charcoal is ok to use though, choose the bits that are Large but weigh very little.

 

as Jdurg says though, the Briquette types are no good to use as they`re something like 30% Clay and bentonite as a binder.