                                Article Six

                   Nitrogen Tri-Iodide And It's Real Name

The following is a portion of the file TERROR.WPF which deals with Nitrogen
Tri-Iodide and how to make it:
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3.11       Ammonium Tri-Iodide

     Ammonium triiodide crystals are foul-smelling purple colored crystals 
that decompose under the slightest amount of heat, friction, or shock, if 
they are made with the purest ammonia (ammonium hydroxide) and iodine.  Such 
crystals are said to detonate when a fly lands on them, or when an ant walks 
across them.  Household ammonia, however, has enough impurities, such as 
soaps and abrasive agents, so that the crystals will detonate when thrown,
crushed, or heated.  Upon detonation, a loud report is heard, and a cloud of 
purple iodine gas appears about the detonation site.  Whatever the 
unfortunate surface that the crystal was detonated upon will usually be 
ruined, as some of the iodine in the crystal is thrown about in a solid form, 
and iodine is corrosive.  It leaves nasty, ugly, permanent brownish-purple 
stains on whatever it contacts. Iodine gas is also bad news, since it can 
damage lungs, and it settles to the ground and stains things there also.  
Touching iodine leaves brown stains on the skin that last for about a week, 
unless they are immediately and vigorously washed off.  While such a compound 
would have little use to a serious terrorist, a vandal could utilize them in 
damaging property.  Or, a terrorist could throw several of them into a crowd
as a distraction, an action which would possibly injure a few people, but 
frighten almost anyone, since a small crystal that not be seen when thrown 
produces a rather loud explosion.  Ammonium tri-iodide crystals could be 
produced in the following manner:

  Materials                    Equipment
iodine crystals          funnel and filter paper
clear ammonia            paper towels
(ammonium hydroxide,     two throw-away glass jars
 for the suicidal)


1) Place about two teaspoons of iodine into one of the glass jars. The jars 
   must both be throw away because they will never be clean again.

2) Add enough ammonia to completely cover the iodine.

3) Place the funnel into the other jar, and put the filter paper in the 
   funnel.  The technique for putting filter paper in a funnel is taught in 
   every basic chemistry lab class: fold the circular paper in half, so that 
   a semi-circle is formed.  Then, fold it in half again to form a triangle 
   with one curved side.  Pull one thickness of paper out to form a cone, and 
   place the cone into the funnel.

4) After allowing the iodine to soak in the ammonia for a while, pour the 
   solution into the paper in the funnel through the filter paper.

5) Collect all the purplish crystals without touching the brown filter paper, 
   and place them on the paper towels to dry for about an hour.  Make sure 
   that they are not too close to any lights or other sources of heat, as 
   they could well detonate. While they are still wet, divide the wet 
   material into about eight chunks.

6) After they dry, gently place the crystals onto a one square inch piece of 
   duct tape.  Cover it with a similar piece, and gently press the duct tape 
   together around the crystal, making sure not to press the crystal itself. 
   Finally, cut away most of the excess duct tape with a pair of scissors, 
   and store the crystals in a cool dry safe place.  They have a shelf life 
   of about a week, and they should be stored in individual containers that 
   can be thrown away, since they have a tendency to slowly decompose, a 
   process which gives off iodine vapors, which will stain whatever they 
   settle on.  One possible way to increase their shelf life is to store them 
   in airtight containers.  To use them, simply throw them against any 
   surface or place them where they will be stepped on or crushed.
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HAHAHAHAHA!  WHat a major joke this is!  These directions have so many
problems that I don't know where to begin!  I guess I'll start from the top
and just work my way through each sentence.

1.  Ammonium Tri-Iodide is COMPLETLY the WRONG name for this compound.  It 
    would suggest that the formula of this compound is NH4I3... WRONG!! :)
    The real formula of it is NI3.NH3  The proper name for it is Nitrogen
    Tri-Iodide Monamine, but we'll just call it Nitrogen Tri-Iodide.

2.  NI3 is very unstable and will go off with the slightest touch... if it is
    pure.  The author of the above passage states that the purest form of
    ammonia is Ammonium Hydroxide... WRONG!  Ammonium Hydroxide is simply
    ammonia in water!  It has nothing to do with purity!

3.  Iodine does stain really bad (this is about the only truth in the
    above article) so be careful with your good clothes :)

4.  NI3 makes a really sharp and loud sound when it detonates.  There is
    no flame involved, and no real heat either.  

5.  You are not going to find Iodine crystals around anywhere.  I don't
    think any chemical supply places supply it around Windsor so you may have
    to try a place like Boreal Laboratories (I'll try to get the number for 
    you so you can call them and ask for a catalogue).  So, you will be stuck
    with the drug store variety of Iodine for cuts and stuff (yes, that 
    painful stuff mom put on your scraped knee when you were young).  Big V
    carries two types:  2.5% Tincture of iodine and 5% Tincture of Iodine.
    Get the 5% stuff for this.

6.  Put a small amount of the Ammonia in a cup or jar or something that you
    don't need anymore (the Iodine will stain it).  Then add, drop by drop,
    the Tincture of Iodine to the Ammonia.  You will see a grey substance
    begin to form in the liquid.  Keep adding Iodine until you think you have
    enough grey stuff, or until all the Ammonia is reacted (ie. when no more 
    particles form while adding the Iodine).

7.  Let the solution sit for 10 minutes or so to make sure all reactions are
    complete.  Then, filter out the grey particles.  It will look like a
    messy muddy substance.  Unfold the filter paper and let it dry 
    completely.

8.  When it is dry use the stuff as soon as possible.  Nitrogen Tri-Iodide
    does decompose quicky since it is so unstable.  This is the reason that 
    when you make this stuff, do it in a fairly large amount, otherwise
    there won't be any NI3 left due to decomposition.

    The decomposition reaction is as follows:

              2 NI   ----->  N   +  3 I
                  3           2        2
    
    Notice that Iodine gas (I2) is a product.  This will stain whatever is
    around the filter paper as it's decomposing so keep it clear from 
    fabric.  

9.  To set the stuff off, simply take a hammer to it, or (if you did this
    properly) just dropping a large nail on it should work.  You can also
    use a fuse to set it off.

Ok, that's it for this one.  Oh, one last thing:  If you get Iodine on your
hands, DON'T WORRY! :)  Wash them off with the ammonia as soon as possible
and rinse your hands (don't let the ammonia dry on your hands cause you'll
be forming NI3 on your hands and it's not fun when it's dry).  But wash
with ammonia and rinse and the iodine will come right off.



