Talk:Nitromethane

message: 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)
thread_title: flame

message: 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)
thread_title:  Anaerobic combustion 

message: 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)
thread_title:  Nitromethane sensitization 

message: 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)
thread_title:  Model fuel 

message: 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)
thread_title:  Please explain 

message: 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)
thread_title:  Top Fuel 

message: "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)
replies: text: 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)
thread_title: sensitized under explosive category

message: 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)
replies: text: 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)
thread_title: Molecular structure

message: 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)
replies: text: First of all thanks for catching the problem.  . --Smokefoot (talk) 17:20, 27 September 2016 (UTC)
thread_title:  Dubious 

message: Please cite the relevant Federal law.
John G Hasler (talk) 12:33, 21 October 2018 (UTC)
thread_title:  This unstable mixture poses a severe safety hazard and is forbidden for use in the United States 

message: 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)
thread_title:  Uses section seems inaccurate