Platinum Catalysis

A 4 L Erlenmeyer flask is charged with methanol. An activated platinum wire is lowered into the flask. The wire glows where methanol and oxygen are reacting, and immediately sets off a whooshing conflagration.
The wire continues to glow, a combination of convection and diffusion causing the air/methanol mixture to oscillate between a slow burn and periodic flash over.

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Category:

Education

Tags:

• platinum catalysis
• oscillating chemical reaction
• conflagration
• Erlenmeyer flask
• methanol
• fwoop

[norxcontacts]

That's a nice chunk of platinum.

[CollisionDream16]

1:12 - 1:15 Incredible explosion and that lightball

[FrederikHNS]

5 points to gryffindor

[ArensiTheSpacegoat]

5 points to gryffindor.

[ryansnider]

With a smaller flask, would the oscillation have a higher frequency?

[SplitSniper7]

Very cool, I wish I could see it in higher quality though :/

[derangedpranks]

Too awesome!

[auxpowerunit]

I'd like to see that done with a smaller flask, so the reaction would cycle faster.

[azra113]

That was awesome