Chemical reaction, non toxic

[Vinnie881]

I am a complete novice when it comes to chemistry (or science in general .

 

I have a question that I'm hoping someone may be able to point me in the right direction. Please excuse the lack of knowlege when it comes to terms.

 

This information is for the purpose of a development of a product that a associate of mine and I wanted to look into, so please bare my requirments below.

 

I need to find out if anyone knows a way to take 2 or more small amounts of non-toxic ingidients(i.e. chemicals, baking soda, anything), that once mixed will give off a large amount of non toxic gasses/vapors for a period of roughly 2-5 minutes, the mixture of the chemicals however can not cause the materials to increase in size drastically(i.e. if I take a 30 ml cylender, and put in 12ml of item 1 and 12ml of item 2, the cyl can not be overflowing once mixed, however the size can decrease w/o issue) . These vapors must be 100% safe if inhaled, even if inhaled in large quantites (Prefferably these vapors/gas should not a very distinct smell or taste, minor is ok).

 

if anyone can point me in a direction I would very much appriciate it. Again I appologize for my lack of knowlege in this area, so if I can clarify anything in regards to this question please let me know.

[Darkblade48]

I'm not sure of any gas that is 100% safe if inhaled in large quantities...

 

Even (pure) oxygen is dangerous to breathe in. Obviously, it goes without saying that if you were to breathe in large quantities of any other gas, without the presence of oxygen, you'd die

 

Also, overflowing may or may not be an issue, depending on the size of the container. For example, if you put in baking soda with vinegar, production of CO2 commences. Depending on the conditions, the bubbles of CO2 might froth out of the container, or it might not. Again, CO2 isn't a gas that is 100% to inhale in large quantities.

[foodchain]

I am a complete novice when it comes to chemistry (or science in general .

 

I have a question that I'm hoping someone may be able to point me in the right direction. Please excuse the lack of knowlege when it comes to terms.

 

This information is for the purpose of a development of a product that a associate of mine and I wanted to look into, so please bare my requirments below.

 

I need to find out if anyone knows a way to take 2 or more small amounts of non-toxic ingidients(i.e. chemicals, baking soda, anything), that once mixed will give off a large amount of non toxic gasses/vapors for a period of roughly 2-5 minutes, the mixture of the chemicals however can not cause the materials to increase in size drastically(i.e. if I take a 30 ml cylender, and put in 12ml of item 1 and 12ml of item 2, the cyl can not be overflowing once mixed, however the size can decrease w/o issue) . These vapors must be 100% safe if inhaled, even if inhaled in large quantites (Prefferably these vapors/gas should not a very distinct smell or taste, minor is ok).

 

if anyone can point me in a direction I would very much appriciate it. Again I appologize for my lack of knowlege in this area, so if I can clarify anything in regards to this question please let me know.

 

Are you trying to make grenades for paintballing or something. As the previous post states oxygen starvation or saturation is not the best of things, as it would be with most any chemical really. I think titanium will burn purple in the presence of nitrogen, but somebody should check me on that.

 

I don’t know exactly what you would want to use really that is non toxic to a certain extent as I am sure it would all be considered a pollutant in which case judgment typically goes by exposure amounts. Plus in all reality most substances that I know off that are used for such burn at very high temperatures would induce very easily burn injuries if not chance for fire all on its own.

[Vinnie881]

I'm appologize for being vague, it's just I don't want to state the exact purpose do to this is for a product development.

 

Hopfully this clarifies a little more (This is just to represent the type of out put).

 

Take a 2 liter of pop. Poor it in a cup. If you were to put your nose over the cup you would actually be able to slightly feel the Carbination vapors(not certain if that is the correct term to be using). This is the type of output that I am looking for, but am trying to figure out if I can achieve this type of output using two small amounts of ingridients that will continue to output for 2-5, but really I just need an amount similiar to when you first poor a glass of soda. When I say inhaled in large amounts I am simply stating that it should be as safe as if your nose was above the glass of soda directly after the poor.

 

 

if anyone is interested I will give full details of what we are trying to accomplish, it's just I will need to email you a confidenciality agreement as a precaution.

 

Thanks very much for the help, and baring with my lack of knowledege.

[insane_alien]

cola, sugar. it'll release the dissolved carbon dioxide. although, cola forms bubbles. just use carbonated (fizzy) water. it'll sit there and buble for a bit.

 

carbon dioxide displaces oxygen and can itself be poisonous if in high enough concentrations for long enough. the first will be the bigger problem here but it it's only 100ml or so it'll be fine. the sugar water you're left with can also be used as an energy drink although you will experience a sugar crash if you drink it all in one go.

 

on a side note, the smell you get from above cola is not actually the escaping gas but small droplets of cola that have been thrown into the air when a bubble popped. they dry out and drift into your nose. the sensation is a mixture of smell and irritation as the flecks of dried cola absorb water in your nose.

[Vinnie881]

To make this a little more difficult,

 

Is this possible to do with 20-25 ml total of ingrediants, and still get the 2-5 minute output? Also will this work with powder sugar as well?

 

Can I slowley add the suger for the 2-5 minutes to keep up the output?

 

Thanks a lot

[John Cuthber]

Baking powder and water is pretty safe.

Bicarbonate of soda add vinegar is a long way from what most people think of as a pair of dangerous chemicals.

BTW CO2 really does have a smell, you can smell it over dry ice and I don't think there are any bursting bubbles spraying anything there.

[insane_alien]

really? i can't smell anything coming off of dry ice. all the sources i've seen also say it is an odourless gas.

[Vinnie881]

Will baking soda and water give off a large amount of vapors in the amounts I listed?

[pioneer]

Baking soda and vinegar water will work but requires a slight trick to help slow down the reaction rate. If you have ever taking a time release aspirin or vitamin, the slow release is done with a binding material that will dissolve very slowly, allowing the slow release of the active material. You mix baking soda with s binder and press it tightly into a block. The block will gives off the CO2 at a controlled rate, when dropped in vinegar water.

 

One might google medicine slow release binders. There are also slow release fertilizer pellets for plants. This binder will also work. One might even contact a vender like Miracle-Gro as ask them to send you some. Say it is for a school science project. They like to help young scientists.

[Vinnie881]

Will this method work as well with the sugar and soda method (Compact the sugar with a binder?)

 

Thanks

[John Cuthber]

http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9020249/carbon-dioxide

[Crooked Mick]

If you are looking for a relatively slow generation of gas it might be worth experimenting with calcium carbonate (limestone) mixed with vinegar (dilute acetic acid) or citric acid solutions. Both vinegar and citric acid can be obtained in food grade quality, cheaply and are safe for contact with most of the human exterior except the eyes. Calcium carbonate is cheap, virtually harmless and may be sold as garden lime or dolomite when magnesium carbonate is also present. The magnesium carbonate is also non-toxic.

 

The rate of generation of carbon dioxide gas will depend on the size range of the calcium carbonate/ dolomite, the temperature and the concentration of the acid solutions. The finer the calcium carbonate/ dolomite, the quicker the reaction. A range of sizes might give you a quick generation of some gas from the fines with a more sustained generation from the larger particles. Some basic experiments are needed here with sieves, a set of scales to weigh things, something to measure volumes and a stopwatch.

 

While carbon dioxide is toxic, it I believe that 5% in ordinary air is the lower limit of toxicity. While it is usually said to be odourless, it is also said to have a slight musty odour. If you are intending to generate just a few litres (say a gallon or two) from a handful of materials then the danger is very low even in a closed room of ordinary size and would be about the same as opening several cans of soft drinks in the same room.

 

Crooked Mick of the Speewah