Nitrogen Tri-Iodide (NI3) is a (usually) pale bownish glop composed primarily of ammonia and iodine. Extremely unstable. Saying 'it would explode if you looked at it wrong' is not an exaggeration. Applied as a liquid to any surface, it will dry and crystalise, and wait for anything to touch it. It is semi-stable when wet, and when dry is unstable to the point that even the force of a paper airplane landing on it will make it go off.

Do not make it. If you make it, do not use it. If you make it, please, in the name of the ever-loving Jehovah, do not store it -- it loses stability over time, so the longer you keep it, the more prone you are to having your nose blown off your face. I am, as such, not including a recipe for it here. Someone has to think about the children, don't they?

By the way, Heinlein's process, from SF book "Farnham's Freehold", doesn't work, either -- you can't use iodine liquid for this. You must use iodine crystals.


This used to be Nitrogen trioxide but do to much, uh, resistance, it has been changed. Don't bitch about the name again, 'cause this one is straight from the University of Chicago.