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Obtaining Nitric Acid for Silver Nitrate Electroplating...

  Max,

 Nitric Acid is the main component in just about all explosives and 
deflagrants (such as gunpowder and nitro-cellulose). Therefore most 
stores won't sell it to just anyone.
 Well, for some of my "scientific" chemical research on high explosives 
I came to a barrier when trying to obtain this most precious chemical. 
Well, this is what I used:
 
    NITRIC ACID:

       There are several ways to make this most essential of all acids 
for explosives. One method by which it could be made will be presented.
 Be reminded, however, that these methods SHOULD NOT BE CARRIED OUT and 
that if you choose to do so, you'll be accepting a considerable amount 
or risk at your own responsibility!!

  Materials:                        Equipment:

  sodium nitrate or             adjustable heat source     
  potassium nitrate
                                           retort
 distilled water
                                           ice bath
 concentrated
 sulphuric acid                    stirring rod

                                      collecting flask with stopper


1) Pour 32 millilitres of concentrated sulphuric acid into the retort.

2) Carefully weigh out 58 grams of sodium nitrate, or 68 grams of 
potassium nitrate. And add this to the acid slowly.  If it all does not 
dissolve, carefully stir the solution with a glass rod until it does.

3) Place the open end of the retort into the collecting flask, and place 
the collecting flask in the ice bath.

4) Begin heating the retort, using low heat.  Continue heating until 
liquid begins to come out of the end of the retort.  The liquid that 
forms is nitric acid.  Heat until the precipitate in the bottom of the 
retort is almost dry, or until no more nitric acid is forming.  CAUTION: 
If the acid is heated too strongly, the nitric acid will decompose as 
soon as it is formed.  This can result in the production of highly 
flammable and toxic gasses that may explode.  It is a good idea to set 
the above apparatus up, and then get away from it.

 Potassium nitrate could also be obtained from store-bought black 
powder, simply by dissolving black powder in boiling water and filtering 
out the sulphur and charcoal. To obtain 68 g of potassium nitrate, it 
would be necessary to dissolve about 90 g of black powder in about one 
litre of boiling water. Filter the dissolved solution through filter 
paper in a funnel into a jar until the liquid that pours through is 
clear. The charcoal and sulphur in black powder are
insoluble in water, and so when the solution of water is allowed to 
evaporate, potassium nitrate will be left in the jar.
 You can also buy potassium nitrate under the name of "Saltpetre", sold 
in some natural food shops as a healthy salt substitute.
 Concentrated Sulphuric acid can be obtained by boiling the acid found 
on car batteries until white fumes form.
 Questions, comments and criticism welcome!

 Hope this has being of some help...
 P.S. DO NOT add concentrated sulphuric acid to the concentrated Nitric 
Acid and drop Glycerine on the mixture... Same goes for toluene, 
mercury... Such explosives, although seemingly easy to make, will 
explode as soon as formed if the proper cautions are not taken...
 


> Thank you for the information I'll will be looking into it. But that
>leaves another problem where to get the nitric acid. I've heard it's
>rather hard to obtain unless you're a chemist.
>
>
>                               Frankensteins Helper
>                                      Max

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