"Main hazards: flammable" - Wikipedia "It has been explored as a fire retardant" - also Wikipedia. I can only assume that exploration process was extremely brief.
Very old comment but to anyone coming across this video in the future it is still used as a fire retardant additive in many resins and paints. A fire retardant does not necessarily mean it is something you can throw on a fire to put it out though. With exposure to water trimethyl borate decomposes into boric acid and methanol, so once the paint or resin has cured with exposure to water in the air only boric acid is left behind. Boric acid, which is also seen burning in this video, is a well known fire retardant but cannot be added directly as it would be insoluble in those products. The fire retardant properties of these compounds come from how they promote char formation. As the carbon containing material its been added to burns it decomposes in somewhat unpredictable ways forming a large number of different radicals and combustion products. The boric acid readily forms borate esters with some of those combustion products which are less reactive and are prone to polymerizing. This forms a more cohesive than usual layer of char that prevents oxygen from easily penetrating beyond the surface of the material.
Dissolve a bit of lithium metal in 100ml of methanol. You'll end up with a methanolic solution of lithium methoxide which burns with a beautiful crimson red flame. The contrast between burning trimethyl borate and lithium methoxide is simply gorgeous.
I can see why esterifying the hydrate of methanol and sodium borate would require a dehydrating agent like sulfuric acid. So, does using boric acid and dry methanol work?
It does, but still proceeds much faster with the addition of sulfuric acid and you get better yield as the sulfuric acid strongly holds on to the water produced which helps drive the equilibrium
"Main hazards: flammable" - Wikipedia
"It has been explored as a fire retardant" - also Wikipedia.
I can only assume that exploration process was extremely brief.
Very old comment but to anyone coming across this video in the future it is still used as a fire retardant additive in many resins and paints. A fire retardant does not necessarily mean it is something you can throw on a fire to put it out though. With exposure to water trimethyl borate decomposes into boric acid and methanol, so once the paint or resin has cured with exposure to water in the air only boric acid is left behind. Boric acid, which is also seen burning in this video, is a well known fire retardant but cannot be added directly as it would be insoluble in those products. The fire retardant properties of these compounds come from how they promote char formation. As the carbon containing material its been added to burns it decomposes in somewhat unpredictable ways forming a large number of different radicals and combustion products. The boric acid readily forms borate esters with some of those combustion products which are less reactive and are prone to polymerizing. This forms a more cohesive than usual layer of char that prevents oxygen from easily penetrating beyond the surface of the material.
Dissolve a bit of lithium metal in 100ml of methanol. You'll end up with a methanolic solution of lithium methoxide which burns with a beautiful crimson red flame. The contrast between burning trimethyl borate and lithium methoxide is simply gorgeous.
_visibly pleased_
XD
You captured some beautiful images!
Awesome video man!
Will attempt this soon, for a project
I can see why esterifying the hydrate of methanol and sodium borate would require a dehydrating agent like sulfuric acid. So, does using boric acid and dry methanol work?
It does, but still proceeds much faster with the addition of sulfuric acid and you get better yield as the sulfuric acid strongly holds on to the water produced which helps drive the equilibrium
Yellow flame bad?
hahaha nice one :D
Auditory satisfaction
Halloween decoration!
WildFire from GoT?
Do you mean dragon 🔥?
cute.
thanks