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you`ve seen Magicians use this stuff on stage etc... it looks like a sudden bright yellow Flash often from their hands during certain tricks, you Can buy this paper but it`s Very expensive and you only get a small amount.
for this experiment you`ll need a flask or beaker with a lid.
50ml of 98% sulphuric acid.
50ml of 70% Nitric acid.
several sheets of 2 ply toilet paper.
a pyrex casserole dish with lid.
a glass stir rod.
a good 50g of Sodium Carbonate (washing soda).
either a bucket of water or access to fresh running water.
the obvious safety goggles, apron/lab coat, gloves.
in the flask put your 50ml of nitric acid, then add the sulphuric acid gently.
it Will get warm! that`s normal, just allow it to cool to room temp with its lid on.
take 6 sheets of 2 ply toilet paper separated as individual sheets, make 2 piles of 3 sheets.
in the glass casserole dish pour a third of you acid into the bottom, then lay one pile of the sheets onto it, then pour another third of the acid mix ontop of that and then add the next pile of sheets.
pour the remaining acid mix ontop of that.
using the glass rod carefully make sure all the sheets are soaked in this mix, being carefull not to rip the paper, and then put the lid ontop of it all.
this proccess will make much acid vapor seen as a white "smoke" so use a fume hood or do this outside!
you can leave your sheets now for 10 to 15 mins, leaving it longer doesn`t improve the effect at all and there no gain to be had doing so.
your paper will have changes color somewhat by now and taken on an almost Plastic type texture, remove the lid and submerse the whole dish under water (in your sink or bucket), stir very gently and then lift the sheets out with the glass rod, don`t worry if they all seem to be stuck together, that`s perfectly normal!.
wash your casserole dish out with plain water, then put your sheets back in it along with the Sodium carbonate then add enough water to dissolve the sodium carbonate and cover the sheets.
Fizzing will be seen as the remaining acid is being neutralised.
at this stage with gloves on it will be possible to separate each individual sheet, being careful not to tear them as they are quite brittle at this point, leave then in the carbonate to soak until all fizzing has stopped. the paper and liquid will take on a darker color, (yellowish).
then take them out 1 as a time and wash then under fresh running water and pat dry with a towel.
leave them to dry in a warm place, you`ll notice that when they`re 100% dry they seem to get much softer and not as brittle, it`s even possible with care to split the double ply in each sheet making 12 thin sheets.
store these in a zip-lock plastic bag, and only take one sheet out at a time, don`t light any near the entire pile!
for lighting take hold of a sheet by a corner, use a lighter or a Cigarette to ignite the opposing corner and let go, it`ll have vanish long before it`s hit the floor! and the brightness is incredible!
it burns that fast that a small piece gently crumpled up can be lit on the palm of the hand with no burning or ash or even smoke (although do some tests before trying this!).
for the more Adventurous Chemist, you can use an equal mix of Strontium and Potassium carbonate as the neutralising base and get a Red color flash from the paper too
barium works also, but a White rather than a green seems to be the outcome.
do NOT try and store this paper for more than needed, this paper takes such a short space of time to make, that Storing it should never be an issue anyway.
Enjoy, but Play Safe!
http://yt2095.net/Flash.avi
a quick vid of the effect.
