Extracting AN from Instant Cold Packs

[flashpoint]

I'm confused on how to do this...would someone care to explain? I searched already and found 2 pages from the word "coldpack", I read that they are not from the liquid coldpacks, but rather the instant cold packs, hopefully my local walmart has it, or I'll go into town to another walmart and check. Any info?

[Macgyver]

The kind of coldpack you want contains only ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) and water. The water is contained in a plastic bag inside the coldpack, just discard the plastic bag with water and keep the ammonium nitrate.

If you're unlucky, you have N28 fertilizer instead of pure AN in the coldpacks, in that case, dissolve in water and filter off the chalk, then boil the solution to evaporate the water used for disolving the N28 and leave the AN to crystalize in a suitable container.

[flashpoint]

I found them in the pharmacy section, Instant Cold packs, if they contain AN, they will say they contain them, somehwere on the packaging, it cost me 1.47 + tax. I took some of the granules in a spoon and added a few drops of water...just to wet it...it was cold instantly :) heh...cool beans. Since the site was down, I had to act on my own, the packs that are liquidy, are probably some type of glycerol or gelatin or something...the "Blue Packs" or whatever they are called. The instant packs are for sports injuries and stuff like that....So for someone trying to find it, hopefully they search and see this post :)

[Jacks Complete]

Has anyone had any sucess finding these things in the UK?

I haven't even found a chemical one yet, just those crappy wheat ones that you put in the fridge or microwave. Anyone got a source? It will save me treking round shops. :)
---
The quick reply ate my sig

[flashpoint]

Damnit, threw the wrapper out, it had a website...it was a sporting good website, but oddly enough, it was in the pharmacy section not the sporting good section hah. If I can get the website, I'll post it here.

[blindreeper]

Just time for a bitch right now, I have seen newbies use the word extract too many times in the wrong way. To extract something means to take one thign out of a mixed thing. Such as the fertilizer witht he chalk, but "extracting" AN from cold paks is not extracting, its just opening a bag and pouring it out :)

[spydamonkee]

Too right blind, nothing could be simpler although buying 50kg's of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate for the price of 6 "3M coldpacks" ($30NZ) comes close :D

[flashpoint]

blind your right, but I also have never seen these cold packs until yesterday, and never knew that...I was thinking extract as in, I'd have to take it out of something...I wasn't sure until I got in the bag. :eek:

[mongo blongo]

Jack- I have looked everywhere I can think of with no luck what so ever. You might have better luck than me. If you do manage to find a source I would love to know :) It's not easy finding nitrates in the UK is it. :(

[Mr. Boombastic]

I rerally dont understand you people !!! WHY the FUCK you are looking for AN in somekind of cold packs.
AN is a very comonly used chem. fertilizer. It means You can get it those stores where fertilizers are sold. You said its quite difficult to get it in UK-I dont believe that crap. you dont have to go to agricultural stores and buy tonns of that stuff-simply ask your mother whre she buys fertilizers for her flowers, or find a shop that sells different things for garden (I buy this stuff und KNO3 in a shop that is called "Everything for your garden" I`m pretty sure there is similarly called shop in you hood- you`ll 100% get your AN there

[blindreeper]

Mr. Boombastic, get fucked! Don't you think these people in the UK have searched for AN in fertilizer shops? Or are you some sort of all knowing person that thinks no one knows its sold in fertilizer places :confused:
You said its quite difficult to get it in UK-I dont believe that crap
Unless you live in the UK piss off. "ooo I'm so cool I can get AN in my country so they must be able to get it in thiers" That is just plain bull shit. Mongo Blongo has been here for about 2 years and don't you think he would have searched for AN or other nitrates in that time? If coldpaks is going to be their source let them be! It is my source at the moment and there is nothing wrong with it except money.

[metal dragon]

Some times it is necessary to “extract” NH4NO3 out of the cold packs because most of mine come in prills and need to be dissolved and recrystallised. I may be wrong this may not come under the heading of extracting.

[scarletmanuka]

Hey Blindreeper, do you buy the instant cold packs with the polar bear on it? They are bloody expensive, but easy enough source. I buy Cal, Na and K Nitrate by the kilo from a hydro store, but I have always been to afraid to ask for AN because of it's bad rep.
Mr Boombastic - 100% AN at a local gardening store good one! What next: 1L bottle of reagent grade MDP2P next to the disinfectants at the chemist...

[The Anarch]

If you're into truck bombs then bags of impure AN are good and dandy, but for someone like me that uses it for pyrotechnic mixtures and nitrations, my cold pack AN is just fine. I bought a single bag of it for $1.05(including tax) and only needed half of it to make my picric acid.

[flashpoint]

Mr. Boombastic:


First of all you FUCK, I live in USA, not Europe like you...where the Oklahoma City Bombing, has had an impact on being able to purchase this chemical. So don't act like I haven't looked for it. Some things where you live are about 20 times more than what we pay here...and some times you can find chemicals more readily available than us. Please think before you speak

[Efraim_barkbit]

Metal dragon, you don´t have to recrystalize the AN just because it´s in prill form, It is still pure AN. I have never seen any cold packs containing other than 100% pure AN and a bag of water, but I have heard of some containing urea.
If it doesn´t say what it contains, buy one pack, and make some 10% APAN to test it. if it detonates, fine, you got your AN source.
There sure must bee other ways to test if it´s AN, but this is how I would do it.

[Anthony]

"It means You can get it those stores where fertilizers are sold"

There is no such thing as a "fertilizer store" here. Nor have I ever seen a "farm supply store" in my life despite living in a rural area. They all have accounts with major suppliers and stuff is delivered on a truck.

"ask your mother whre she buys fertilizers for her flowers"

99.99% of gardeners do not use pure nitrate fertlizers. They use mixes and blends and general purpose shite, which is of no use to a pyro. E.g. "Rose fertilizer", "super-phosphate fertilizer", "lawn fertilizer".

It can be had, but it's specialist.

[tingtao]

Here's a link to the manufacturers of the AN/H20 cold compress packs (it clear states AN and Water on the pack).
BD Ace Cold Compress Packs (http://catalog.bd.com/bdCat/viewProduct.doCustomer?productNumber=207513)
They carry these ones in the Walmarts for .88 cents.
Check out this link, click on 'how to order' at the top of the page and check out the various distributors.
There is a link for international orders. From quickly browsing, it looks like they've got distributors outside the U.S.
It's worth a shot, thought I'd pass it along.

[Marcus]

During the summer Marks and Spencer sell "chilled aftersun cream" that comes in a cold pack containing pure ammonium nitrate. At around £4 this is an expensive source but I also have alot of trouble finding a cheaper alternative.

[McGyver]

Does anyone know if "tractor supply" stores sell fetilizer in bulk, like AN and KNO3? I live about 2-3 hours from one of these places and wouldnt want to find out they dont sell it when i get there.

[PHAID]

Most do sell it in bulk, but i havnt bought any recently to know if it has changed.
Depending on where you are you can get it in large fertilizer hoppers to spread on your land or get it in 50 pound bags for a few dollars.

[metal dragon]

@McGyver
Why don't you ring them (on a phone) and see?
How the hell are we surposed to know if it has it?
Every store is different!

[vap0r]

What are you extracting the NH4NO3 to make?

[Bert]

vapOr-

He's obviously going to use it to make vanilla ice cream. Anyone could tell that!

You list your profession as "chemist" in your profile. In another post, you say you're looking at becoming a street person. Interesting life you're leading. And I can hardly wait to see what nbk2000 says to your generous offer to teach him how to "take" money. Is it possible to get kicked for posts in the water cooler? You may help us find out.

[flashpoint]

Bert, everyone has to start somewhere... :)

[nbk2000]

Boy...with all the FUCK'ing going on here I'm worried about stepping in a puddle of some icky stuff. :p

Yes, I'm very "amused" by vapor's offer to teach me about anonymous money handling. :D

[tom haggen]

I obtained some NH4KNO3 from those instant cold packs a couple of weeks ago. It was quite simple actually. Anyway, I bought 2 instant cold packs and went to work. The first one I cut opened I poured out all the NH4KNO3 with out any problems, except a couple spills here and there. The second one I cut open I started to notice a couple of contaminents. Then I picked out some good sized chunks of crap. They were about the size of a dime. I thought they looked disgusting. Does anyone know what the hell this shit is? heres a link- www.geocities.com/granpa_jacob/crap.html (http://www.geocities.com/granpa_jacob/crap.html)

[mongo blongo]

I think that IS shit!.:eek: I don't think that should be in there dude! Someone in the cold pack factory took a shit in your cold pack dude!
By the way what the fuck is "NH4KNO3"??? I think you mean NH4NO3.:rolleyes:

[Dave Angel]

Have a look at http://www.firstaid4sport.co.uk

As long as you are not after an OTC source, I think their instant cold packs look promising for us in the UK...

[tom haggen]

Sorry about that. I guess someone put some dank in my salad or something. I did mean NH4NO3. Whats with you saying dude so much. You sound like a californian

[mongo blongo]

He he I don't know. :) It's just the way everyone talks where I come from (Wales in the UK). Everyone says "like" and "init" in almost every other sentence. We jus caan elp it like. :)

[blindreeper]

Australians tend to run their words together such as Javagoodweekendmate :D

[tom haggen]

Thats cool, I'm from the northwest and people around here have a really bland way of speaking. I get shit when I say dude a lot.