Re: [Vo]:New Experiment Started -- Sodium + Epsom Salts explosion

[Alan J Fletcher]

Another warning on electrolysis and stuff

http://www.iscmns.org/CMNS/JCMNS-Vol9.pdf  p64 Lakshmanan

During sodium metal dissolution in aqueous Epsom salts, it was accidentally discovered that a massive explosion occurs in 0.85 M
Epsom solution on the completion of Na dissolution.  ...

However, at the end of Na dissolution, i.e., 30 s after Na addition, an intense and massive
explosion occurred, accompanied with Na aerosol release and a shock wave as well as vaporization of Borosil glass
beaker containing salt solution. The explosion attracted the attention of everyone in the building due to its high intensity,
even people in rooms far from the one where the experiment was carried out. Molten glass needles flew all around,
making holes too small to be seen with the naked eye in two plastic water bottles at two different locations about 2 m
from the explosion. I was standing 4–5 m from the cell when it exploded. The needles scratched my hand. Borosil
glass vaporizes at temperatures >1000°C. This fact indicates that a very high temperature has indeed been reached
in this experiment. The timing of the explosion (20–25 s after Na addition) is prima facie evidence that hydrogen
somehow got trapped in the solution. A normal hydrogen explosion occurs within 5–10 s after Na addition in dilute
salt solutions, and the intensity of a normal explosion is not sufficient to vaporize the glass beaker.