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Hazmatt_(The Underdog)

Mon Feb 27 2006, 09:16AM

Registered Member #135 Joined: Sat Feb 11 2006, 12:06AM
Location: Anywhere is fine
Posts: 1735

If you need Fe2O3, you don't really have to do a lot of work.

Just get a pyrex dish, a small glass plate that fits in the dish, some pennies to space the plate off the bottom of the dish, some water, and steel wool. Place the wool on the glass slide in the dish spaced off the bottom, add some water to wet the wool, and add water so that the wool 'wicks' the water.

This rusts REALLY FAST. This will give you the Alpha Iron Hydroxide/Iron Oxide....but you want the Gamma species. So take the yellowish orange powder you've let oxidize, put it in a metal pan and heat until the oxide turns deep red. Stirring with a heat resistant rod helps convert all the Alpha to Gamma.

Using soft glass to stir is not recommended, it thermally shocks and cracks.

Heat source: propane torch, simple!

You can have several hundred grams in a couple of days with this, also there is no NaCl or KCl invloved!

Aluminum is not so easy. Commonly available Al is an alloy which does not burn easily. Also, depending on how hard its sanded, it can be very hot and melt a big hole in a trash bag.

Aluminum alloys were extremely hard for me to ignite in the thermite reaction, this is why I said it needed to be boosted with Mg. Simply putting a Mg ribbon in the mixture does not work because it extinguishes when it gets to the thermite.
No I did not mix it wrong. I have a quad beam ballance and I know chem. I am just stating that commonly available Al is 6061T6 which is a pain to ignite!!!! and hard as steel in my opinion!! (IT DULLS CARBIDE!)

ChemTechLabs

Fri Mar 03 2006, 05:49AM

Registered Member #98 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:53PM
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another way i though of helping ignite the thermite, is going out and buying one of those fire-starter blocks from Canadian Tire or wherever and scraping some Mg off the block right into the mixture and then use an small jet torch to light the Mg strip.... As for getting the Al, paint stores? and the FeO, i tried the steel wool in 2 yogurt containers.. one with vinigar and one with Hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol, (one or the other, I cant remember which) they'd probably both work though. But both tests were actually quite effective. I used that FeO and some filed Al off a block and tried that, but it did not work. I probably didn't have it hot enough to light... But anyway, do those methods sound correct?

Colin 99

Sat Mar 25 2006, 07:10PM

Registered Member #192 Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 03:08AM
Location: Canada
Posts: 44

Has anyone else tried the Iron oxide from a pottery supply store? That is what I used but I was dissapointed with the results.

Wilson

Sun Mar 26 2006, 12:24AM

Registered Member #78 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 11:27AM
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 133

i have some pottery Fw2O3 which i would like to try, but no Al powder :(

Wolfram

Sun Mar 26 2006, 12:31AM

Registered Member #33 Joined: Sat Feb 04 2006, 01:31PM
Location: Norway
Posts: 971

I was quite successfull with iron oxide from a pottery. I used magnalium instead of aluminium though, maybe that had something to do with it.

Simon Barsinister

Sun Mar 26 2006, 01:06AM

Registered Member #116 Joined: Fri Feb 10 2006, 03:19AM
Location: Erie Pa, USA
Posts: 29

I know ratio was the question, but how about using ferrite for the iron oxide component?
Rich

Sat Apr 08 2006, 05:06AM

Registered Member #256 Joined:
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Posts: 124

where should i go about getting a decent quantity of Al powder.? i am quite interested in thermite reactions

ChemTechLabs

Tue Apr 25 2006, 05:09AM

Registered Member #98 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:53PM
Location:
Posts: 14

Well in answer to your question about the Al powder.. I've head that you can get some at paint supply stores cause they sometimes mix it with metalic paints but i've already checked a few stores and was unsuccessful :( so if you can't find any there, i suggest using a lbock of Al and grinding it down with a grinder and into a bag.

Hazmatt_(The Underdog)

Tue Apr 25 2006, 07:09PM

Registered Member #135 Joined: Sat Feb 11 2006, 12:06AM
Location: Anywhere is fine
Posts: 1735

I have done this successfully with available materials. I have posted the majority of the knowledge to get it lighted.

A Mg fuse will NOT work right into Thermite UNLESS you have very high grade Al powder, which is hard to get!

If you want to experiment and do it in a somewhat save mannor, put it mix in small clay flower pots with the dish on the bottom. The pot will crack, but you won't have burn holes in the concrete like I have.

You can follow my guidelines and you will get decent results.

Also, Thermite does not work well in a pile, get rid of that thought immediately! It needs to be confined in a container like a crucible for maximum combustion.

Otherwise, this thread is going nowhere. I posted my homework, its not that hard to do some of your own.

Binx

Sat Feb 24 2007, 10:05PM

Registered Member #548 Joined: Sat Feb 24 2007, 09:52PM
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Posts: 1

Well thermite is not very hard you need to mix a 50/50 mesh of Aluminum powder and Iron Oxide {weight for weight)
Add some magnesium shreddings so it burns evenly.

Magnesium ribbon is great for a fuse! Just need something like a pencil torch to light it.

United Nuclear is a very good place to pick up what you need. Be careful though the heat isn't directable in its powder form and you can easily get badly burned...

I hope that helps!

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