How To Make Nitrogen Tri-Iodide ------------------------------- Probably the most hazardous explosive compound of all is nitrogen tri-iodide. Strangely enough, it is very popular with high school chemsits, who do not have the vaguest idea of what they are doing. The reason for its popularity may be the ready availability of the ingredients, but it is so sensitive to friction that a fly landing on it, has been known to detonate it. The recipe has only been included as a warning and a curiosity. It should not be used. [1> Add a small amount of solid iodine crystals to about 20 cc. of concentrated ammonium hydroxide. This operation must be performed very slowly, until a brownish-red precipitate is formed. [2> Now it is filtered through filter paper, and then washed first with alcohol and secondly with ether. Tri-idodide must remain wet, since when it dries it becomes super- sensitive to friction, and a slight touch can set it off. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS COMPOUND AND SHOULD NOT BE EXPERIMENTED WITH. ************************************************