08 - Green Fire with Trimethyl Borate

So, this video has been done many times over on YouTube, but I didn't find any that explains the reaction between the methanol and boric acid. Enjoy!



I created this channel for the sole purpose to help spread the interest in science, mainly chemistry. The decline of scientific interest in the United States is rather disappointing. After I cruised YouTube a bit I noticed all the other channels similar to mine and I thought about canceling this channel; however, after thinking about the decline of science, I decided to keep making videos until I just run out of ideas.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Acid
• Amature
• AmatureChemist
• Borate
• Boric
• Chemist
• Chemistry
• Fire
• Green
• Mechanism
• Methanol
• Organic
• Reaction
• Trimethyl

[ExothermicVideos]

Excellent video.

[AmatureChemist]

@ExothermicVideos Thank you!

[PortablePigs]

I really enjoyed this video, makes me want a job as a chemist, thanks, im going to try this. Thanks for the information!! (I subscribeb, liked, and favorited) P.S.- if you added more methanol or boric acid, would they flame stay green for longer?

[AmatureChemist]

@PortablePigs It'll only say green as long as there's boric acid to consume, so yes, adding more will keep the flame green longer. But of course, you'll also need to add more methanol to keep the flame going. Good question.

[loveskullz411]

the hulk played with fire

[AmatureChemist]

@loveskullz411 Nice comment.

[lithiumw]

I really appreciate your videos, this is real home chemistry ;)

but here, there's pratically no methyl borate, the green color is just due to the boric acid.

If you want to burn real methyl borate vapors, put some boric acid (1g.), methanol(3ml), and a few drop sulfuric acid in a test tube. Just light the vapors going out of the tube.

(I hope my english is comprehensible :)

[demnlordd666]

just made this stuff for the first time a few weeks ago. FUN, but I was wondering how the oxidation of trimethyl borate procedes and what byproducts are left. now would be the time to have some cool green tiki torches in the front yard but wouldnt want to put trick-or-treating chidren at any kind of risk of inhalation hazard. also is there a way to dry the solution so the TMB wouldn't break down in the presence of water produced? or if distilation could be done and poss dry the gasseous state

[mcwario13]

PUT INTO A ZIPPO

[Cloress1]

This is an absolutely beautiful experiment to show many colours, but in the first two minutes, there were clearly impurities in the subject container. I must say, I *LOVE* the Deep, almost Royal blue fade to Cyan.

[Morio666]

The more concentrated the better. The sulphuric acid acts a catalyst for the formation of the ether, and if you use acid of low concentration the reaction might proceed too slowly, and not enough vapor will be produced.