Only One Snag

[Canary42]

I feel a bit sorry for the chemist who invented a universal solvent and then spent the rest of his life trying to find something to keep it in.

[zebo]

I can recall being asked how one would solve that during 'A' level Chemistry lesssons! Can't remember the answer though.

[Playbill]

You keep the components of the solvent in seperate containers until it is needed.

[theprof]

The guy didn't have to invent a universal solvent. It's been out there for years and is called Chlorine Trifluoride. Not much keeps it contained. It'll eat through metres of concrete before your very eyes.

[Chipchopper]

Sounds like he kept it under his hat ;-)

[nescio]

and then there was the chemist who invented the world's most powerful adhesive. Not a success - he could not get the top off.

theprof, ClF3 is lovely stuff, isn't it. I read one data sheet which states that in the event of fire involving ClF3, "suitable extinguishing media - none". You haver to admire a substance which spontaneously ignites on contact with asbestos!

[theprof]

Yep, it is lovely. I've worked with it in the past at a defence facility and it frightened the hell out of me. For me, the advice John Clark gave in his book "Ignition!" when talking about spillage says it all: "For dealing with this situation, I recommend a good pair of running shoes"

Now and again someone will ask me the name of the most powerful corrosive in existence: I tell them to forget about antimony pentafluoride in fluorosulphonic acid and think of chlorine trifluoride instead. The very fact that exposure to the substance can leach the calcium from your bones at an extraordinary rate without you knowing until you fall over, sends shivers up my spine.