Important: Safety Warning
This page contains instructions involving gunpowder or other explosive or pyrotechnic compositions. Preparing explosives as described has caused severe injuries and deaths, and is illegal in most places.
In addition, this page describes trade processes that use dangerously toxic materials such as cyanide solutions, mercury amalgams, or strong acids. These processes require training, equipment, and precautions far beyond what the text describes.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
Home › Cements And Uniting Bodies › Substitute for Lucifer Matches
Substitute for Lucifer Matches
The dangers arising from the universal adoption of the common lucifer match have induced chemists to seek a substitute for it. M. Peltzer has recently proposed a compound which is obtained in the shape of a violet powder, by mixing together equal volumes of solutions of sulphate of copper, one of which is supersaturated with ammonia, and the other with hyposulphite of soda. A mixture fresh nor salt water has any injurious effect of chlorate of potash and the above powder on blasting powders; they need only to be dried to regain their explosive character.
Their emitting but little smoke renders them useful in underground operations, and their explosive force is eight times that of gunpowder. They explode with extreme facility, either by contact with a strong acid, a slight elevation of temperature, or the slightest friction. In preparing them, therefore, excessive precaution is necessary, especially in mixing will catch fire by percussion or rubbing; it burns like gunpowder, and leaves a black residue. M. Viederbold proposes a mixture of hyposulphite of lead, or baryta, or chlorate of potash, for matches without phosphorus.
The only inconvenience of this compound is that it attracts moisture too easily.
For