UPS: "Do not connect laser printer..."

When it was wet.

When it's wet, the water allows the ammonia molecules to cradle the iodine molecules so they don't get close enough to react. When it dries out, or if the ammonia is allowed to escape over time, it becomes shock sensitive. At least that's what I remember from chemistry class.

Aluminum powder good... Ugg! -Cave Man

You make it up as a solution. It doesn't get explosive until it dries out.

I would hire someone to do it. But first take out a huge life insurance policy on them with me as the sole beneficiary.

As a teenager I would mix two chemicals that slight pressure would cause explosion. I would put in a small corked bottle. The town I lived in the police would let us kids bring rifles to there shooting range and practice. I would set up these bottles and when bullet hit there was a loud smoke explosion. Police said what the heck did you make in those bottles. Never told them as this stuff has killed some people as they tried to mix with a mortar & pestle. I always rolled it back and fourth gently on a sheet of paper to mix. ww

We made black powder when I was a kid. Mixed the charcoal and sulfur with a mortar/pestle and the oxidizer was added later and stirred in carefully.

Nitric acid and glycerine? >:->

Cheers! Rich

on to

There is no ammonia in the reaction product, just NI3 (precipitate).

True.

No, that's the explosive form (Nitrogen Tri-Iodide). The reaction products are I2 and N2.