What's that substance that when burnt becomes a weird ribbon thing

[sansnom]

having a discussion about this with someone at work and I cant for the life of me remember what the substance is?

I saw some youtube videos on it about a year ago where it's I think a small piece of metal or some liquid and when someone sets fire to it, it rapidly expands outwards like a ribbon curling up.

Anyone know what I'm talking about??

 

[Ayahuasca]

Magnesium?

 

[BuffetSlayer]

Yeah, silly string

 

[sansnom]

Magnesium?

I thought that too but when I looked for some videos on youtube it doesn't seem to be similar.

These videos I'm referring to were shocking, like giant spirals coming out of tiny bits of substance.

 

[estebanrey]

It's called Nitinol (Nickel Titanium), and is used for magic tricks mostly. Common name is 'memory wire'

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Form-Memory-Wire-Nitinol/

 

[BuffetSlayer]

erm, lithium by any chance? When added to water it goes mental!

 

[lord filbuster]

This stuff probably: Mercury thiocyanate

 

[Cosimo]

erm, lithium by any chance? When added to water it goes mental!

It certainly generates some excitement when chucked into a sink in the chemistry lab.

 

[Destination]

This stuff probably: Mercury thiocyanate

I was thinking this.

 

[sansnom]

This stuff probably: Mercury thiocyanate

That's the one! Thank you!

 

[ikillbears]

he's clearly thinking of indoor fireworks and the venomous snakes. you can feel the excitement through your monitor

 

[Xire]

Yeah he must be referring to them indoor fireworks, they are weird. Had some the other day

 

[lemonade]

Magnesium ribbon is much more cool! Remember burning them for fun back in science classes in secondary school.

 

[SciNeT]

Ammonium Dichromate? Orange powder that expands massively into green powder when ignited. Search Ammonium Dichromate volcano.