RE: Nitro fuel storage.
The following is an MSDS sheet (safety data sheet) for nitromethane:
"Stability and Reactivity
Stability:
Shock and heat sensitive. Thermally unstable. Reacts violently with a broad range of materials. Contact with organic bases (amines), acids, and some metal oxides such as lead pigments, may markedly increase its sensitivity to detonation by shock. Heating of closed containers may cause detonation. Mixtures of nitromethane and known sensitizers are explosive and should be handled with extreme caution."
1. A previous response given was incorrect, methane itself IS shock sensitive, and in pure form, quite dangerous when carelessly handled. Moreover, there are agents that render it even more explosive in confined spaces.
2. Nitromethane IS highly sensitive to both heat and pressure and carries a chemical reactivity rating of 4, quite high.
3. The exploding tank car of nitromethane referred to earlier was very likely an adiabatic event, you had high temperature and pressure, the two events I previously said would be a very dangerous combination. No wonder it exploded.
4. Anyone who goes around tapping on nitro containers is extremely foolish, even on a good day.
5. The burned modeler opening a tin can was not using straight nitromethane, he was using regular model airplane fuel.
These comments are not to scare modelers, but just to have them understand that when you store your fuel in tightly closed, proper containers, in the dark, out of direct sunlight, heat, static electricity and ignition sources, you should be safe. If you will excuse the pun, it seems a lot wiser to shed more light on this subject than heat, and it does help to know something about the properties and nature of chemicals. Interested modelers can easily find information on their fuel methanol and nitromethane on the Internet by looking for the MSDS sheets available. Search Terms, methanol, methanol MSDS, nitromethane, nitromethane MSDS. Those two ingredients, plus the oil in your fuel are the major, if not exclusive ingredients in most model fuels.