Hydrazine
Rowena Fletcher-Wood discovers the many uses for a toxic compound
Hydrazine is a molecule of two singly-bonded nitrogen atoms and four peripheral hydrogen atoms. In its anhydrous form, it is a colourless, toxic irritant and sensitiser, which damages the central nervous system, producing symptoms as extreme as tumours and seizures. The pungent smell of hydrazine is not unlike that of ammonia, and it is so powerful a reducing agent that it is highly explosive.
Considering this, it seems strange that around 100,000 metric tonnes of the stuff are manufactured worldwide every year. But hydrazine does influence our everyday lives. It keeps us warm, clothes and feeds us, can save our lives and even take us to the moon. In a way, it can even turn back time.
So how does such a simple molecule do all that? The answer lies in the industries that use it.
From disposable cups and spandex, to fuel and rocket chemistry, Rowena Fletcher-Wood discusses the many uses of Hydrazine.
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