Talk:Nitromethane

Is it not true that the yellow-white flame seen above the header pipes is actually free hydrogen that has been shorn from the atmospheric water molecules by exposure to the exceedingly high temperature exhaust gases? Is it not also true that nitromethane burns with a greenish-brown flame? DRL - HouTX

Nitromethane does not burn "greenish-brown". The greenish brown color results from the use of copper gaskets in the headers. When exposed to the intense heat created by exhaust flames, these copper gaskets actually burn — Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.166.18.29 (talk) 12:25, 1 June 2018 (UTC)Reply

I was under the impression that when organic nitro compounds decomposed, the oxygen would be distributed as follows.

• Carbon to form carbon monoxide
• Hydrogen to form water
• Carbon monoxide to form carbon dioxide

(See Balancing Chemical Explosion Equations) If this is true, all H₂ would need to be oxidized before CO₂ could be formed. The equation for anaerobic combustion should be: 4CH3NO2 → 4CO + 4H2O + 2H2 + 2N2, not 4CH3NO2 → CO2 + 3CO + 3H2O + 3H2 + 2N2.

In response to the above comment, it seems unlikely that atmospheric water would be decomposed. It is more likely that this flame is caused by the combustion of the hydrogen and carbon monoxide produced from incomplete combustion of the nitromethane. --24.16.148.75 23:49, 12 July 2006 (UTC)Reply

It sais that nitromethane can be sensitized by adding a base to raise the ph, dose that mean any base?on PLX it has that amine groups weaken the bonds and so make it more sensitive. I know that amine groups are basic but can any base sensitise it in the same way or just amines? Incredibleman007 (talk) 12:50, 18 December 2008 (UTC)Reply

I cleaned up the section on model fuel and added some more details, but I suspect that glow fuel really does deserve it's own wikipedia page. Nitromethane is often a component, but it's not usually the main or most important component, even though it's often just called `nitro'. Perhaps someday I'll write one. dougmc 04:55, 23 August 2006 (UTC)Reply

Some more info would be nice regarding distillation of Nitromethane from racing fuel. Given the popularity of the substance in experimental chemistry and the relative danger (formation of azetropes, explosion, etc) of distillation such information might be invaluable and prevent accidental injury.

Microswitch

I think this sentence dow not make sense.

Nitromethane is usually used with rich air/fuel mixtures. This is partly because nitromethane can provide power even in the absence of atmospheric oxygen, and also because nitromethane tends to produce severe knock and pre-ignition. Rich mixtures cause ignition problems and a lower combustion speed.

Why are rich mixtures used if they cause ignition problems?

you can detect weak editing when "this" is employed as a subject. I will repair. --Smokefoot (talk) 18:24, 23 December 2007 (UTC)Reply

Why does the exhaust from a top fuel dragster/funny car burn one's eyes, nose and throat? I have been trying to learn about the chemistry, alas, I am inept. Is it the nitromethane itself since they burn so rich? nitrogen oxides? hydrogen? I noted that the exhaused smelled like fireworks to me. --24.21.133.196 (talk) 00:48, 15 July 2010 (UTC)Reply

I'm a little confused by this statement as well『Nitromethane, however, has a lower energy density: Gasoline provides about 42–44 MJ/kg whereas nitromethane provides only 11.3 MJ/kg. This analysis indicates that nitromethane generates about 2.3 times the power of gasoline when combined with a given amount of oxygen.』 That analysis would indicate that Gasoline would generate about 4 times the power of Nitromethane due to it's lower energy density. The previous post also is correct. Mixing of units of measurement is incorrect. Going from pounds (I'm assuming weight not PSI) to Joules, to KG in one paragraph is unacceptable writing.== Messed up units == As in section: "14.7 lbs. of air is required to burn 1 pound of gasoline, but only 1.7 lb. of air for 1 lb. of nitromethane. Since an engine’s cylinder can only contain a limited amount of air on each stroke, 8.7 times more nitromethane than gasoline can be burned in one stroke. Nitromethane, however, has a lower energy density: Gasoline provides about 42–44 MJ/kg whereas nitromethane provides only 11.3 MJ/kg. This analysis indicates that nitromethane generates about 2.3 times the power of gasoline when combined with a given amount of oxygen." there is a total mixup of units, I would like to think that the wikipedia articles should contain only SI units.

"Nitromethane can be sensitized by adding a base to lower the pH." A base RAISES the pH. It doesn't lower it. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 206.213.43.100 (talk) 17:13, 1 May 2013 (UTC)Reply

The sentence is clearly self-contradictory as written. I'm not sure what the intended meaning is, and there is no citation to support the statement, so I have simply removed it. Thanks for catching the problem and reporting it here. -- Ed (Edgar181) 17:18, 1 May 2013 (UTC)Reply

The molecular structure diagram on this page is missing the carbon, showing only H3NO2. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.123.98.180 (talk) 15:49, 16 September 2015 (UTC)Reply

The "missing" carbon is implied at the location where all three hydrogen atoms connect. Chemical structures drawn this way can be confusing, so I switched to a different one. -- Ed (Edgar181) 16:07, 16 September 2015 (UTC)Reply

The pKa on other page says 10,000-fold different value for the pKa which means one wikipedia page is EGREGIOUSLY innaccurate but I'm just an orgo student so hoping an expert will review both pages I'm linking below in bulletpoints:

• Nitro compound
• Nitromethane

and choose which pKa is accurate, and I'll update both pages once somebody with at least 5 orgo edits (or a barnstar which bolsters the attainment of a chemistry degree) tells me which pKa they believe is correct. Thanks, Adwctamia (talk) 16:19, 27 September 2016 (UTC)Reply

First of all thanks for catching the problem.   Done. --Smokefoot (talk) 17:20, 27 September 2016 (UTC)Reply

I've got a couple of nits to pick with this section.

• Inhalation hazard. Possibly true for a larger engine in a confined space, but when you're running a model engine, the exhaust volume is so miniscule that unless you shove the exhaust tip up your nose in a most literal manner, you're not going to get enough of the stuff in your nose to cause anything more than mild discomfort. I've been running nitro RC since 2003, I've inhaled quite a bit of the stuff, it's not a big deal at all with engines that tiny. And, tellingly, the people in the pits in NHRA Top Fuel races don't wear gas masks when adjusting the engines either!

• Internal corrosion: Not a result of nitric acid produced during combustion, and indeed, a glow engine used in a model car, boat, or airplane that's only ever been fed FAI fuel containing no nitromethane whatsoever can and will rust itself into a paperweight if left in storage for a prolonged period of time with fuel in the crankcase! For starters, none of the combustion byproducts are going to be present in the crankcase unless the engine's already totally shot. They are produced in the combustion chamber and the only direction they are able to go in a healthy engine is out the exhaust port. The only way they could get into the crankcase is by leaking past a heavily worn piston, and an engine worn out so badly that blowby puts a significant quantity of nitric acid in the crankcase is an engine that's barely going to run if it runs at all. Secondly, methanol being hydroscopic to a ridiculous degree is the reason model engines rust. You don't need to put any kerosene and ARO through them, either, if you use a quality fuel with a significant percentage of castor in its lubricant package and shut your engine down by running it out of fuel via either pinching the supply off or running until the tank and lines have fed all their contents to the engine. The castor oil left behind in the engine supplies a sufficient protective barrier that the engine won't rust solid even sitting idle for years, yet because the engine was shut down via fuel starvation, the amount of methanol remaining in the crankcase is negligible.

2600:1702:E00:FC60:249F:2603:276B:6C46 (talk)

Please cite the relevant Federal law. John G Hasler (talk) 12:33, 21 October 2018 (UTC)Reply

The section "Uses" of this article states "The principal use of nitromethane is as a stabilizer for chlorinated solvents, which are used in dry cleaning, semiconductor processing, and degreasing." This statement is widely propagated throughout wiki pages, but I don't think it's true. I found the reference for this statement at https://www.chemical-supermarket.com/Nitromethane-250ml-p58.html

This is a chemical supermarket, not a great source for information.

Other sources mention "Nitromethane is used primarily as a chemical intermediate in the synthesis of biocides, chemicals, and agricultural products and intermediates." (https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/nitromethane) Or, "Most of the nitromethane produced in the United States (85% to 90%) is used in the synthesis of nitromethane derivatives used as pharmaceuticals, agricultural soil fumigants, and industrial antimicrobials (Markofsky 1991, Angus 2001). Nitromethane also is used as a fuel or fuel additive with methanol in racing cars, boats, and model engines. It formerly was used in the explosives industry as a component in a binary explosive formulation with ammonium nitrate and in shaped charges, and it was used as a chemical stabilizer to prevent decomposition of various halogenated hydrocarbons (NTP 1997, IARC 2000, Angus 2001)

(https://www.chemicalbook.com/ChemicalProductProperty_EN_CB2753821.htm)

Therefore I'm going to change this section to more consistent with the overwhelming majority of sources. DoktorScience (talk) 02:20, 31 May 2024 (UTC)Reply