Why Many Household Chemicals Are Also Rocket Fuels

It turns out that many rocket fuels are basic chemicals that are used in everyday life, which means you can find them in regular stores. But you shouldn't be under any illusion that these would work or be a good idea for a rocket.

Explosions and Fire going all the way concentrating peroxide.

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[reaganharder]

Some friends and i made an abnormally large sugar rocket as a high-school physics project. The stuff isn't particularly unstable honestly. Of course, we did this outside for safety, and also instead of melting the sugar and potassium nitrate together, as seems to be somewhat standard, we dissolved both in water and then boiled the water off. Reason for that being, the friend that did the research read that the caramelization of the sugar would reduce the specific impulse, so we decided to use the method that was least likely to caramelize the sugar while still getting a reliably good mix of the two chemicals. Of course, when it came to actually casting our motor we got a huge air bubble in it, and reviewing our launch footage determined that the rocket jettisoned around half it's fuel load and nozzle about 1/10th of a second after ignition (by which point it was around 5 feet off the ground). Fun times though.

[jpdemer]

As a budding young pyro, I experimented with my own black powder rocket motors. I was making real progress, in a SpaceX-ey sort of way, until my dad discovered that I had cut up most of his shotgun shells.
Much to his credit - after he cooled down - he gave me an allowance that let me buy Estes motors instead.
I also acquired a bit of esoteric knowledge, which I share here: the primers in shotgun shells are really, really LOUD.

[joetaylor]

I love when you talk about propellants, oxidisers and other energetics. Great video, Scott.

[slonlo]

These are my favorite kind of videos!! In pharmacy school we were learning about the hydrazine moiety. My professor says, "only one person in my 15 years of teaching knew this, but does anyone know where else your find hydrazine?" Thanks to Scott, My hand shot up "ROCKET FUEL" LOL. The one person that knew it before he said was a chem PhD before going to pharmacy school. He asked if I was a chem PhD, "No sir, I just like rockets."

[DerekHonkawa]

Propane has seen some success lately with students. Space Enterprise at Berkeley have been rapidly testing LOX-Propane Rockets at FAR, and have been getting remarkable results in just a year. They melted one of my cameras, but it was well worth it.

[colinritchie]

Allegedly true story,
A German rocket engineer in Huntsville in the 50s in a bar celebrating a successful launch the barman was trying to close the bar, the disgruntled engineer and his buddies objected, grabbing the barman and dragging him closer, "Listen I've burned more alcohol in 5 minutes that you've sold across this dammed bar ever"

Allegedly the bar stayed open - as usual Scott wonderful video

[cjs]

Back in the day in the U.S. we called that sugar concoction "Carmel Candy". I was barely smart enough as a teenager to stay away from it - but I have another rocket fuel story to tell. In high school chem my lab partner didn't agree that I could make rocket fuel by mixing two harmless materials - powdered zinc and sulfur. Obviously I had to make an opposing cash bet. So I mixed the chemicals together on a plate (as I recall 2:1) and put the plate on a tripod over a Bunsen burner. Nothing happened. Well I said we need to get the mixture hotter so why don't YOU pick up the burner and heat the mixture directly (meanwhile I slowly and sneakily stepped back). He did what I asked and within a short time POOOF!! Since not being enclosed the compound didn't explode but a flame shot upward with quite a lot of smoke taking out a ceiling tile or two over our station. And I sure learned a lesson from this event. I (the nerd) and my partner (the athlete) were immediately sent to the principal's office for punishment. We got a "don't do something like this again" message and were then let free. He was a star basketball player. The lesson - choose your lab partners wisely!

[ArchersGearheadGarage]

That ending though! I didn't' even notice it at first 😂😂

[Steamtrainfind]

My brother and I built our own cored solid fuel rockets. They were ignited using a car batter and worked extremely well. They consisted of the standard fuel, charcoal sulphur and potassium nitrate.
We got a maximum burn time of 8 seconds.

[amrastheluckywoof]

My local supermarket in Belgium sells 98% pure food grade alcohol ^.^
The main purpose for it is to make easy homebrew spirits, like limoncello without the need to distill the drink.

[nagualdesign]

Whenever I hear the words "rocket candy" I think of Homer Hickam Junior's _Rocket Boys, _ AKA _October Sky._ Great book.

[Hexydes]

Toilet was in the living room for same reasons as good rocket engine design: high-efficiency.

[smileygladhands]

I used to get everclear in college. You only needed a cap full to make a drink, and it was still strong. It was the 195 proof stuff too. Made me gag just smelling it.

[usgator]

I was a grunt, and I understand chemistry. I’ve got a bachelors of science in materials engineering.

[randombystander]

"You shouldn't attempt to make it, especially not indoors" - could've saved me from being grounded for two months when i was a child(used that time to make it right, lol).

[JohnRodriguesPhotographer]

I have known for decades of certain mixtures of certain chemicals available in stores. No I don't try to mix it. I don't have a degree in chemistry and I don't have the right equipment. I also don't have a sprinkler system in my house or Halon. Knowing something is cool having the judgment of whether or not you should do it is even better.

[isaks]

I have personally made a whole lot of solid rocket fuels at home. every time on a hot plate outside with both a water hose and a fire extinguisher to controll the fire around the pot if something went wrong.

never had a spontanious combustion tho so everything was fine.

[ЛюбомирДинков]

After the toilet misfortunes of the Inspiration 4 flight, the toilet in the living room is a useful tool in testing the new developments in Space sanitation, and the rocket candy points in this direction, too...

[BoomedYetLush]

Next, can you please talk about how to use cabbage in propulsion?

[Togidubnus]

Let's not forget steam as propulsion. Quite widely available, if I'm not mistaken. There was a recent ride-share experimental water-propelled device sent up by SpaceX but I am (clearly) a bit vague about this. I don't know how it's progressing. Perhaps Scott can fill us in.