Thank you for your note. The balloon was not only filled with the hydrogen, perhaps they also filled it with oxygen. Small balloon will not cause this type of injury. There are other news articles available about this incident.

I will send you more information on this.

Regards,

Tilak

Colleagues,

 

Following up on the explosion at IIT-Bombay which injured a professor and 2 interns:

https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/explosion-at-iit-bombay-injures-professor-2-interns/story-i8UkvjMhnKnDeLyjKUj8iM.html

 

And the dramatic acetylene balloon explosion:

http://www.esdjournal.com/static/Kansas/dauer%20truck.htm

 

This raises questions about the very common synthetic technique used in research labs of using hydrogen-filled party balloons for small scale reduction reactions at atmospheric pressure.   Researchers often fill party balloons with 1-5 liters of hydrogen at a regular gas cylinder, sometimes walk through the lab to their hood, and then connect the balloon to a reaction flask.  (All that in contrast with hydrogenation under pressure in a Parr reactor using fixed high pressure lines.)

 

1. Have there been reports of explosions when using hydrogen-filled balloons for lab reduction reactions?
2. What safety precautions should be followed when balloons are used?

 

I can envision a number of things to do to avoid or discharge static electricity, but wonder if others have experience in this.

 

Thanks,

Craig Merlic

 

Professor of Chemistry

UCLA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Executive Director 

UC Center for Laboratory Safety

http://cls.ucla.edu

Los Angeles, CA  90095-1569

Voice:  310-825-5466

 

 

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