Hi, does anyone have experience with red phosphorus and whether it loses its effectiveness over time, or something happens to it in the air. what does the humidity of the air do to it... Thank you for any answer
"Freshly prepared, bright red phosphorus is highly reactive and ignites at about 300 °C (573 K). After prolonged heating or storage, the color darkens; the resulting product is more stable and does not spontaneously ignite in air," according to wikipedia :] additionally, humid storage conditions can cause the release of phosphine (which is toxic). try using a dehumidifier maybe?
Thank you for the reply, and yes that's exactly how it is the color already dark red.. I've had it for about 5 years. Is there any difference in the reaction when I pose new or old? And another thing that interests me in phosphorus are small black crystals, does anyone know what it could be? Thank you
- By fidelis
no problem :] sorry, i didn't see this until a few days later. i would use new if i were you but i don't know if it makes a difference in the reaction as i haven't done it firsthand. i'm not sure what the black crystals are. when i went to google, it said it might be black phosphorous, also known as "phosphorene", but idk if it's actually that. personally i would ask one of the experts on the sidebar ^_^