Anhydrous Hydrazine: A Powerful but Extremely Dangerous High-Energy Rocket Fuel

[@billmoran3812]

In the 1960’s a group of us high school students experimented with rockets and propellant. We were able to get several liters of dimethyl hydrazine and experimented with it and LOX as well as several varieties of nitrous oxides that yielded hypergalic reactions. The latter were too unstable to be safe even in our young opinions. Eventually our faculty supervisor alerted the air force to what we planned and we were visited by the Air Force. They agreed to fly out liquid fused rocket and share the resulting data with us. The hydrazine-LOX rocket worked better than our estimates and flew at White Sands NM. We never saw the rocket again though.

[@m.i.c.h.o]

That's so cool! Thanks for sharing

[@daltonsoutherland8836]

I hate to say it but science was a lot cooler before it got so safe 😂

[@m.i.c.h.o]

​@@daltonsoutherland8836 So you're saying that with less people in the field dying science isn't as cool? I don't think you realize how ignorance to safety protocols has affected people in the past and will continue with people doing science the "cool" way.

[@daltonsoutherland8836]

@@m.i.c.h.o you took that way too seriously dude what I meant was the military doesn't bring rockets and show them to high school kids anymore now calm down and step off your pedestal 😉

[@m.i.c.h.o]

@@daltonsoutherland8836 Oh snap sorry chief. Hell yeah I wish the military would do that more often, that'd be a great experience for students!

[@josephpotter5766]

Since I've not seen anyone in the comments recommend it yet, I thoroughly endorse "IGNITION! An Informal History of Liquid Rocket Propellants" by John D. Clark, for anyone interested in the history of Hydrazine and it's substituted variations as hypergolic rocket fuels.

[@MaxNippard]

Plus one on that recommendation! It's a lot of fun.

[@infernalcontraptions8648]

Its a great book but I still think its comment on chlorine triflouride is the best part.

[@chemistryofquestionablequa6252]

Read it a couple months ago during a train trip, thoroughly enjoyable!

[@D4narchy]

As someone who is interested in all the sciences including chemistry, but who hasn't studied chemistry.... that book was very hard to follow. It would help to have a higher understanding of chemistry. Just an FYI for anyone else, still recommended though!

[@sixstringedthing]

Pretty sure that it's at position #1 on the Required Reading list for any fool who's interested in energetic chemistry, rocketry, or just Space Stuff generally. So much fundamental knowledge, and so charmingly and amusingly presented. I'm seeking recommendations for any other books about chemistry that have the same irreverant spark about them, @ me if you've got something. Cheers! :)

[@ericlightner1832]

As a aircraft mechanic on F-16 I worked with H-70 (70% Hydrazine, 30% water) for years. We're always told of its toxicity and that just smelling it was over the exposure limit. This was an awesome video to see just how it reacts to other chemicals. Thanks for the video.

[@dutchovenvids]

I’m watching this video because I just got some on my hand today working on the EPU… oops

[@Hell_Hound_Actual]

@ericlightner1832 Thank you for your service. From a former USAF SOWT / AFSPECWAR SR guy. It was really fun to watch someone do these little experiments in this video. One might be surprised how many of these chemicals are used in various types of shape charges, particularly used for things like busting doors open.

[@jed-henrywitkowski6470]

Why would that be part of the job description? As a son of a man who was a fuel truck driver ( I do not remember what the MOS was called in the 1990s and I know according to an acquaintance who did that, more recently it's called something different now) in the Army, I can see the small possibility of someone with his MOS being tasked with transporting the stuff, but a maintainer?

[@robertperry9466]

​

[@Graciashauf]

Sooo smelling it is death?

[@josefranciscomartin3055]

The type of chemicals described in chemistry handbooks, just as a curiosity. Thank you for building a great visual encyclopedia of chemical weirdness.

[@sevenravens]

I worked for Lonza, the only manufacturer of hydrazine. It’s used for a rocket propellant primarily for satellite repositioning in space and aircraft ejection seats. It is the most highly compressible fluid with the advantageous effects known to man. Hence, it can be contained in a small space, limiting space and weight.

[@mikekushnir3950]

Literally no one: ChemicalForce: pours liquid OsO4 into hydrazine. I love it.

[@classicaudioadventures]

You would be nominated for (and probably win) a Nobel prize for chemical reaction photography, if they had one. Thanks for all the incredible footage!

[@overlord3481]

Nobel prize cringe. He deserves better.

[@SilvaDreams]

Eh, if anything he should talk to someone like the Slow Mo Guys and he could record in hundreds of thousands frames a second and you actually get a good view of the reaction happening

[@dirtyfiendswithneedles3111]

As a photographer, I couldn’t agree more. This guy has captured cinematic lightning in a bottle as far as I’m concerned on a number of instances. I only wish he could actually be recognized for it, or at least have a couple million subscribers like he at the very least deserves.

[@dirtyfiendswithneedles3111]

@@SilvaDreamsalso a slow mo collab would be the only way to increase the artistic quality of some of these reactions. Genius

[@darylcheshire1618]

RIP thousands of watch glasses

[@austinhachey2683]

I think this is your best video yet. It’s amazing to watch your channel over the years. I’m now just weeks away from finishing my PhD in chemistry - I’ve been watching for years and still find your videos amazing.

[@shivjikhanath3586]

same , just start phd

[@CoughSyrup]

I cant imagine what a laborious process it must have been cleaning up after each one of these reactions. Thank you for doing this. Very educational.

[@acronus]

Exotic, dangerous, and utterly impressive. Keep up the great work!

[@pittypatterputzzler5311]

He is a Artist too. Please tell him that.

[@laboratoryofliptakov8157]

6:12....birth of black hole.....👀

[@KomradZX1989]

Your access to rare and dangerous chemicals never ceases to amaze me. I’m always coming back to see what you’re getting into next! ❤

[@DynamicSeq]

He is definitely on some government list....

[@bitonic589]

its easy to get

[@lolvks]

Another use of Hydrazine is in the emergency power unit of the F-16 fighter jet. H70 (70/30 mix of hydrazine and water) is decomposed using a catalyst (I believe iridium or platinum), and the gas from the decomposing H70 is used to spin a turbine powering an electric generator and hydraulic pump. The EPU is installed in case the F-16 engine, the electrical generators or hydraulic pumps fail in flight. the H70 gives 10 minutes of emergency power for the pilot to restart the engine or find a safe place to land/eject.

[@joela.4058]

watching the various compounds combining in slo-mo really brings to light some of the intermolecular forces that are unfolding. Goes to show how important the physical aspects of each reactant are in forming a reaction. For example, the N204 is not particularly soluble with the hydrazine and despite them being extremely reactive, it takes a sec for them to overcome each others repulsions

[@jannejohansson3383]

That video is so nice quality overall. Nitric acid and devils poison will react hard too, I think those have used in some rockets too..

[@herrbrahms]

"it takes a sec for them to overcome each others repulsions" Now you know how my wife and I feel about each other.

[@SirWuffleton]

The bromine reaction is very satisfying to watch - love how the gasses rise in a mostly uniform bubble that gets more chaotic as the hydrazine spreads out!

[@skyethebi]

I would be very interested in seeing a video about what kinds of lab safety equipment you have and what precautions you take when filming reactions like these. You work with so many horrifically toxic and explosive compounds and I think that a very interesting (and important) part of working with those compounds is how to not die while working with them.

[@empmachine]

your mic positioning cracked me up! I can't believe nobody (i've seen) has done that before.. It makes a surprising amount of sense. Oh.. and super cool footage as always!! you rock dude!

[@empmachine]

I really should watch the whole thing before commenting, but let me add that you should totally colab with the @theslowmoguys for the super fast explosions (like hydrazine and OsO4) . I bet they'd jump on the new thing (I can't remember them ever recording stuff like you do)

[@anchorbait6662]

The quality of this is amazing. Can't believe we got this all in one video

[@aryav1769]

I'm surprised this channel hasn't hit 1 million subscribers yet. It comprises every reactions that are mentioned in my textbook 🤩 thanks a lot

[@ЕвгенийЧерненко-к8о]

Дякую за дуже якісне та яскраве відео!! Ви справжній майстер своєї справи!!!

[@syntactyx]

every time I think Feliks can't up the ante, he goes and does it. absolutely incredible, as always. your videos never cease to leave me speechless.

[@THYZOID]

Badass! Great video. Also that beard microphone attachment is still genius.

[@Waiting_To_Retire]

I had to look several times. 😀

[@pittypatterputzzler5311]

@@Waiting_To_Retire Me too, it is mesmerising.

[@timothyevans4323]

Back in the 1070’s a few lunatic drag racers experimented with hydrazine as a fuel additive for their dragsters. One of my family members, Bobbie Langley, was a pioneer of hydrazine in drag racing before it was banned.

[@pyr0duck676]

I loved the OsO4 reaction! Keep up the great work!!!

[@trespire]

Every F-16 has a small fuel tank full of hydrazine. We had a specially trained maintenance crew who would perform any work required, no one else was even allowed near. Women, of child bearing age, were strictly forbiden to approache within several 100 meters of the remote hydrazine maintenance shop, way off at the edge of the base. This stuff scared the shit out of us.

[@glebanful]

Anhydrous hydrazine with OsO4, what the hell! Amazing video as always!

[@mrarby9780]

I work at a place that makes hydrazine, cool to see someone playing with it the way I wish I could.

[@jesscorbin5981]

Is it true that you can also make it with NaOH, Bleach, and a Urea solution?

[@mduckernz]

@@jesscorbin5981 It takes (quite a bit) more work to convert into this kind of anhydrous form. Salt forms (like sulphate) and hydrates can indeed be made this way, yes

[@jesscorbin5981]

@@mduckernz great, thanks

[@besimatalay7839]

These reactions and your video footages are absolutely sublime, but why are you no longer showing the equations? You used to do this, and I don't understand why you stopped.

[@ravencrovax]

It feels like he stopped doing the equations about the time he got and started using his slow mo camera. I have no direct evidence for that, but having watched the videos since before he got it; that is what it seems like to me.

[@daled4191]

When he heated dry ice, that was definitely sublime!

[@Vicus_of_Utrecht]

The hell are you talking about there's equations throughout the video.

[@trig1dentity]

10:58

[@MrMilarepa108]

If anyone was gonna make a video with actual hydrazine, it must be you. Thanks for existing.

[@BackMacSci]

The clips around 6:00!! Beautiful work, ChemicalForce, thank you for capturing this.

[@justinpyle3415]

Idk how you describe these slowmow shots of the oxidation, but they are absolutely beautiful

[@pittypatterputzzler5311]

The slow mo guys on KZbin need to visit you, man! This video has just blown my mind. (I shut up now)

[@randyhavard6084]

Incredible footage of these reactions

[@Reeuwijk78]

For the OsO4-Hydrazine reaction we are gonna need "The Slow-mo guys" Wow! Also great idea to clip the mic in your beard.

[@ChristianMiersch]

Cheeky placement of the microphone, love it!

[@esmenhamaire6398]

Being a geberal science and rocketry nerd with only a smattering of chemistry knowledge, but one that has read the book "Ignition!", I have to say, I never thought I'd ever see anything involving hydrazine that made me think "Ooh, pretty!" You have my utmost respect, Sir - but I'm still glad there's an ocean between me and you when you are doing these presentations! Subbed :-)

[@ChemicalForce]

Why do you think so, maybe I'm your neighbor :D

[@bvdtv12345]

This is art as much as science. The photography and lighting are great. Amazing work.

[@soberguy0]

The Bromine and Hidrazine slow motion reaction was probably my favorite. I love how you have taken the cool parts of chemistry and turned it into a visual artistic experience.

[@germancaperarojas4023]

Hydralazine is a hydrazine derivative used clinically as a vasodilator and antihypertensive agent. Despite numerous studies with the drug, its mechanism of action has remained unknown, but guanylate cyclase activation and release of endothelial relaxing factors are thought to be involved in its vasodilator effect. It's actual uses in medicine are as a potent anti hypertensive drug for hypertensive urgency or emergency, specially in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and suddenly onset preeclampsia or eclampsia hypertension.

[@altier1119]

How did they discover its effect without knowing its mechanism ? Random testing?

[@lmaoroflcopter]

That slow motion footage is some of the most beautiful footage I've seen. The nitrous oxide footage was amazing.

[@srideepprasad]

This channel has the most cinematic chemistry videos... A perfect harmony of science and audio visual art

[@landscapingspecialist]

Some of the coolest footage I’ve seen ever.

[@harvesterofpingas]

The chemistry is most interesting, but I was also very impressed by the sound track, especially the synchronisation with the detonations!

[@Unsensitive]

I loved chemistry as a child. I drew up plans to make a small sulfuric acid production process.. but for some reason my parents wouldn't let me. Life took me another route though . I remember learning about hydrazine. Always wanted to get my hands on some; Appreciate the video.

[@j.r.j-ia802]

That's the worst parents.

[@petevenuti7355]

I tried as a kid, I basically fumigated the house with sulphur dioxide, almost died, couldn't breathe for a bit even after getting out of the house, all the silver in the house became pitted, even on the second floor. My mom tossed my homemade chemistry set over the backyard fence after,(that included Mercury and uranium ore..) I wasn't left unsupervised for the next 6 years... I think that's why I was in such a rush to move out before I was 18.. I wonder, what if I wasn't constantly discouraged.....

[@zyxwvutsrqponmlkh]

Some of the most stunning chemistry I have ever seen. Thank you.

[@buddyrevell4329]

I worked with Hydrazine for years in an R&D lab. It came in a 64% aqueous solution. We usually cut it to 16% prior to use. We used it as an extending diamine to build molecular weight of an isocyanate terminated prepolymer.

[@mohmok7634]

Please, how is hydrazine made and what are the ingredients used in it?

[@InputEmitter]

Chemical reactions like this are so beautiful, and fascinating. Thank you for these experiments, and keep up the amazing work! Also, that microphone placement is spot on

[@X-Gen-001]

The slo-mo is pretty cool. The Anhydrous hydrazine and Chromyl chloride reaction looks to me like a comet boring it's way through the cloud layers of Jupiter perhaps. I love chemistry, it's like magic. But the cool thing with chemistry is the magic isn't imaginary, it's real.

[@pezboy715]

This channel just keeps getting better and better

[@francois-pellier]

Epic movies! Thanks you!

[@primateinterfacetechnologi6220]

You deserve an award of some kind for that videography. Big blue ribbon from me... Perfect soundtrack also. peace and love.

[@omnirath]

Finally found something for Christmas thanks !

[@bagel_deficient]

2:36 That looks so much cooler than I would have ever expected.

[@Progamezia]

THE BANGER IS OUT! Cannot wait to watch it.Can't thank you enough for making these videos.

[@siamuddin4508]

I just love the amount of quality and information this guy puts in each video.

[@fademusic1980]

You are truly doing a great service to chemistry by making such great documentation of various rare chemicals and their reactions.

[@bentboybbz]

6:00 it reminds me of Saturn...the shades of brown orange and black etc reminds me of the swirls you see on the clouds of the planet. Thank You For Your Time And Effort! Be safe My Brother! There is no one else sharing the love of chemistry the way you are and I think I speak for everyone when I say we all greatly appreciate your time effort and money spent to share it with us! Thank You My Brother!

[@nigeldepledge3790]

Amazing footage! This has got to be the best chemistry channel on the Internet. Incidentally, if you watch footage of rocket failures from the 1960s, you can often see a huge cloud of orange-brown vapour leaving the site of the failure. This, of course, is NO2 gas, coming from the N2O4 oxidiser.

[@sebastiand152]

Great! I especially liked the reversed order of additions. It is not always the same, if you add A to B compared to adding B to A. Please show us more examples. And if I were you, I would buy longer pipettes for such trials. Perhaps bend the last 1-2 cm of the tip to an 30 degree angle, then you can hold them tilted, with your hand not directly over the action.

[@crabmansteve6844]

Hydrazine compounds, specifically UDMH are my favorite chemicals in the world. Reading Ignition! by John Drury Clark when I was a child really stuck with me.

[@Life_42]

I'm happy to have watched this during the last 30 minutes of 2022! Greetings from Miami, South Florida!

[@nhra7110]

Fascinating. Old time drag racers messed with The H back in the day combined with nitromethane - very dangerous and crazy times. Great video!!

[@DipanGhosh]

You have picked up where NileRed left off. Great work.

[@thebogsofmordor7356]

I feel like I've just witnessed something not meant for a mere mortal's eyes... Truly amazing footage of these reactions. Everything is so beautiful. The reaction with bromine looked like a mushroom cloud.

[@Antimonium_Griseo]

Thanks for reaction with liquid N2O) Good video and good music!) N2O + H2N-NH2 -(-H2O)-> N3-NH2 [azidamide, as an intermediate] -(spontaniosly explode decompothition)-> NH3 + N2

[@madeofscars9355]

Many years ago in top fuel drag racing they were mixing hydrazine with nitromethane at a ratio of 5% they would make a 90hp ford flat head put out 300hp BUT it had a tendency to literally blow the engine apart (cylinders were ripped apart at the crank tunnel) the fumes put many spectators in hospital and also it formed crystals in the bowls of the carburettor's that just a slight bump on the exterior with a spanner would result in the carb exploding like a grenade. It's 100% completely banned in drag racing.

[@markdecker9095]

I posted a similar comment. I not a chemist. Just like cool science stuff. I'd like to understand the reaction of those two chemicals. From the simple basics that I know is that hydrazine is an oxygen scavenging chemical. Nitromethane is an oxygen rich molecule and powerful enough to to even be a monofuel It can burn and combust without additional atmospheric oxygen. Mixing those two together breifly added a power burst to engines. However those two chemicals are at war with themselves and would soon lead to detonation and evaporation left behind explose salts in the carbs or intake or cylinders. Even legends of engines firing with the ignition off because of detonation or combustion of the mixture

[@danieljmitro]

So satisfying. Thank you.

[@gnored]

Beautiful slow motion video. And each reaction so different from another!

[@EdwardTriesToScience]

its really interesting to see that the hydrazine fumes from the test tube are actually igniting from the N2O4 on the pipette at 12:08

[@mapleleaf4ever]

That is some of the coolest slow-motion footage I've seen in a long time.

[@JoeSolo814]

Hydrazine has always fascinated me the most. What an amazing yet extremely toxic compound! Love it!

[@landscapingspecialist]

I could watch this all day. Not sure it gets old.

[@randalljames1]

I worked with 1 ton cylinders of compressed ammonia... some really nasty stuff.. Hydrazine was used in auto racing for a short period of time.. now I fully understand why it was so short..

[@strayling1]

Mesmerising! Just don't let Integza see this ...

[@heidecker]

Love the slo-mo of N2H4 reacting with N2O - this is so beautiful to watch...thank you so much for that! Thanks for your videos and work anyway!!!!

[@thndrlngs]

Ayyee, that's a pretty nice hoodie you've got on my friend! Was kind of shocked when I first started the video. I'm a born and raised West Virginian, and am typing this very comment from the heart of the southern WV coal fields. I had some great times up at the WVU campus in my younger days and you'll never see me rooting for another college team on the gridiron (Marshall can pound sand). Glad to see that intellect and good choice in college football teams go hand-in-hand! Thanks for another fascinating video, and I hope you have a happy new year!

[@executive]

Magnificent footage. Nice work!

[@mobilemarshall]

very pretty shots, nice job

[@mmdirtyworkz]

Slowmo was sooo satisfying to watch, thank you for the effort taken!

[@christopherkarlon4463]

What a show of images, nicely done record.

[@BushCampingTools]

3:26 as a scientific photographer/videographer I really appreciate the images around 3:26 and the rest. Well done.

[@samiamm5764]

I’ve seen videos of rivers flowing under the sea and under water lakes. But seeing the burning rain fall through the dancing flames is a whole new level of mind blown 🤯🤩

[@hamentaschen]

4:57 Whoa!! That has got to be the coolest explosion I've ever seen!

[@KibuFox]

I've always wondered what Hydrazine thrusters in KSP used for fuel... and this answer that. I would like to see you test high test peroxide.

[@DynamicSeq]

Messed around with this stuff back when I got my chemistry degree...Used it to make luminol for my final exam...Played around with the leftover....Reacts very good with hydrogen peroxide...

[@Xenotrickster]

Chemistry is amazing. Nothing ever dies. It's energy just changes form. Love you all.

[@kindlin]

You have so much fun lining up the music to the reactions lol EDIT: Oh wow, 13:00 to 14:00 you had a lot of fun slightly adjusting the speeds to keep hitting each bass drop.

[@andreimj]

It's absolutely incredible how I stay with my moth open of amazement every time I'm watching a video of yours :))))

[@lugarial]

What a masterpiece, another beautiful video !

[@einfisch3891]

Wow, this video has some absolutely incredible shots. I mean just absolutely beautiful reactions.

[@markdecker9095]

I'd like to see a chemical reaction of hydrazine and nitromethane. I've commented on another video about this also. Back in mostly the 60's legendary and controversial NHRA drag racers experimented with such combinations. Hydrazine mixed in small concentration would produce huge power gains. Those mixes if not quickly dealt with would result in fuel tanks exploding, or carburetors exploding. There are reports where fuel had leaked into cylinders and detonated blowing engines apart. They found out that the mixes form some kind of salt that is shock sensitive. Mechanics were injured working in the pits. Remains legendary to this day and speculated that it's use still continues when new speed records are sometimes set.

[@belacickekl7579]

Nitromethane is extremely temperamental and dangerous; according to Ignition!, several German labs were blown up trying to tame it, and if the folks who learned to live with ClF3 (including the American rocket chemists a couple years down the road) decided it was too nasty, I'd personally avoid it as well.

[@timothyevans4323]

Bobbie Langley ran it in the Scorpion dragster. He was my grandmother’s cousin.

[@M31Galaxy1]

Outstanding camera work!

[@АнатолійЛівий]

Дуже гарно. Ваші досліди треба показувати в школі. Дуже хочеться почути ваші коментарі дослідів на українській мові.

[@jlr163380]

I wonder if this could some how be a cutting torch. This is beyond the most amazing chemistry video I've ever seen thank you!

[@hugoturbill6067]

One of the most criminally underated channels out there

[@cyber-gonk5281]

Awesome stuff, like always!

[@kayliibensen387]

The Nitrous Oxide addition was beautiful in slow motion. It looked like Fire Spirits dancing on the surface of the Hydrazine!

[@paulochikuta330]

the n2o reaction is just stunning

[@mased-v2j]

Incredible footage!

[@BenjyaminSaturnHaunebu777_3]

Thank you for this fascinating Video.

[@jannooosthuizen6588]

These reactions would be facinating in zero gravity. Great work as all ways

[@StrivetobeDust]

the reaction with N2O in slow motion is very beautiful!!