How to make nitrous oxide
- Filed under: Uncategorized
- Date: Feb 7,2008
From this article you will learn how to make nitrous oxide.
Ingredients to make nitrous oxide:
REMEMBER: use exact quantities written here.
- Ammonium Nitrate (NH4NO3) - get a good grade, it’s a fertilizer and comes in 50lb. bags.
- Clean sand. Fairly fine grained (30 mesh or finer.)
- Electric hot plate (500 to 2500 watt) with variable heat.
- Stainless steel dial thermometer. (This is the only metal item which may be used.) It must go to 250 C (450 F). Select the Erlenmeyer flask (next item) and the thermometer so that the thermometer can reach at least within 1/16″ of the bottom of the flask through the stopper.
- A 2000 to 4000 ml PYREX or KIMAX Erlenmeyer flask.
- Several feet of 3/8″ clear vinyl or surgical rubber tubing.
- At least 4 8mm ID glass or plastic tubing “T’s”.
- 1 120 degree bend 8mm ID PYREX glass elbow, with about 3″ of tubing on each side of the bend.
- 7 6-8″ long pieces of 8mm ID glass or plastic tubing.
- 3 6-8 feet long 1.5″ to 2″ diameter glass or clear plastic pipes.
- 1 two hole rubber or neoprene stopper to fit the top of the Erlenmeyer flask. One hole should fit the 8mm ID PYREX glass elbow, and the other hole should fit the stainless steel dial thermometer.
- 6 one hole rubber or neoprene stoppers that will fit the ends of the clear plastic or glass pipes. The holes in the stoppers must fit the straight 8mm ID glass or plastic tubes.
- NH4 NO3 ———————-> N2O2 + 2*H2O
- Ammonium Nitrate ———————-> nitrous oxide + two water
Asembly
NOTE: When inserting tubing through stopper holes, ALWAYS WRAP AND HOLD THE TUBING WITH A CLOTH. Also moisten the tip of the tubing and the stopper hole with glycerin, soap, or spit. (never oil)
- Into the stopper with two holes, inset the thermometer far enough so that when the stopper is put into the Erlenmeyer flask, it almost touches the bottom of the flask (but don’t allow it to touch), and then insert one end of the glass elbow far enough through the stopper so that it sticks out 1/4″ to 1/2″.
- Into the six one-hole stoppers, insert a piece of the 8mm ID glass (or plastic) tubing so that 1/2″ to 3/4″ protrudes from the narrow end of the stopper.
- Now select your set-up space so that there is 1.5 feet of space clear in all directions around the hotplate, so that the three scrubber pipes can lie side by side where they will not be knocked over.
- Take approximately 2 feet of the 3/8″ flexible tubing and connect one end to the glass elbow in the two-hole stopper, and the other end to the middle of one of the 8mm ID glass (or hard plastic) “T’s”.
- With short pieces (select lengths for a neat fit) of 3/8″ tubing and another 8mm “T” assemble the INLET SET manifold and connect it to the bottom end of the scrubbers. Stoppers may then be inserted into the lower end of the scrubber pipes.
- Elevate the OUT end of the scrubber pipes so that the upper end is 6″ to 8″ above the IN end, but no more, and then fill the pipes with water until they are full within 4″ to 8″ of the top (outlet) end, and insert the outlet stoppers. Try to fill all the scrubbers equally full.
- With short pieces of 3/8″ tubing and two 8mm ID “T’s”, prepare and connect the OUTLET SET manifold to the scrubbers similar to the way the set was connected in step 5.
- To the last “T” of the OUTLET SET (of “T’s” manifold), connect a fairly long piece of 3/8″ tubing to reach a “safe” location (where connection and disconnection of the receiver bags will not disturb the scrubbers) and secure it. Then put the last piece of 8mm ID hard tubing into the free end.
- Finally, prepare several receiever bags by inserting about an 8″ piece of tubing into the top so that 3″ or 4″ sticks out of the bag and secure it in place with a rubber band.
Congratulations !!! Now you have your own nitrous oxide generator.

3 Responses for "How to make nitrous oxide"
Jeez.
First off, N2O2 isn’t nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide is N2O.
Second, NH4NO3 doesn’t turn into N2O2 when it decomposes. Just look at this:
NH4 NO3 âââââââ-> N2O2 + 2*H2O
Count the N’s, H’s and O’s..
This is the correct, balanced formula:
NH4NO3 -> N2O + 2*H2O
Now that’s more correct, isn’t it? I wouldn’t just put my mouth to those tubes though; could be pretty hot. Good luck home-experimenting, junkies.
rvivrw6r6trioe0v
OK, that’s great. We have a generator. No how does one use it? A temperature would be a good piece of info. I assume that’s why we’d want a thermometer. :-/ I can guess that it’s 250C, but that’s not a very safe assumption. Where does the hot plate go? I know, I know. But others may not. How much sand? How much NH4NO3? How long to let it go for?
This ‘ought to be titled, “how to make a nitrous oxide generator.”
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