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Author: Subject: Interested in alloys via thermite.
Jerry Bennett
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[*] posted on 5-1-2015 at 14:44
Interested in alloys via thermite.


Hello. New to the forum.
I was wondering if there are any members who have dabbled with alloying metals with a thermite powered furnace? That is my interest. It has been a while, but would like to try again. Have a few alloys I would like to try and make. Maybe exchange notes. Thanks, Jerry
Edit to say, I am not sure which forum I should use for this topic. I hope this is the one.


[Edited on 5-1-2015 by Jerry Bennett]
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[*] posted on 5-1-2015 at 16:22


What alloys do you want to make?

There are some interesting effects to be had by using combinations of metal oxides (and other adjuncts) for thermite mixtures, one such is the "pyronol torch" composition of Iron oxide, Nickel, Aluminum and powdered PTFE.





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Jerry Bennett
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[*] posted on 5-1-2015 at 16:49


Thanks for that. :)
For your entertainment, here are a few vids showing my progression using a thermite furnace.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_Q_IcBhHTA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVV5U14ju5A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JbIeTxaY6s
The second one, got me a patent. Well, a provisional patent. :(
EDIT: Here is a sketch of the final furnace design. I left out one, VERY important item though. You must insulate the thermite reaction crucible from the charcoal fire below. If you heat the reaction crucible too hot, it can react all at once. The least you will get is an awful sunburn. I use a layer of insa wool.

[Edited on 6-1-2015 by Jerry Bennett]

starchamber hot.JPG - 87kB

[Edited on 6-1-2015 by Jerry Bennett]
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Bert
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[*] posted on 5-1-2015 at 17:41


Well, GODAMN. We're having some fun now...

Could you provide some background on any engineering parameters calling for the class of alloys involved, along with your hypothesis leading to these experiment- Site policy is to provide such background information on processes and reactions proposed for discussion (outside of "beginnings", at any rate).

http://www.sciencemadness.org/madscifaq.html#2.1_Board_topic...

Are you aware of the "exotic thermites & analogues" sticky in the energetic materials sub forum? And would you like this thread merged with that one.

https://www.sciencemadness.org/whisper/viewthread.php?tid=10...




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Jerry Bennett
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[*] posted on 6-1-2015 at 14:14


Sure thing. Merging with the proper forum sounds fine.
I am no professional. Just a hobbyist. My intentions are making exotic alloys with iron thermite. I have had a small bit of success, as I made an iron-rhenium-niobium nickle alloy back in 07. I call it "Rhenaissance steel". A play on spelling due to the rhenium.

More of a metallurgist, than a chemist. Some one called me a comic book metallurgist once, as an insult. I rolled with that. :cool:
I think I can alloy very dissimilar metals and/or semi metals with the thermite system. I have a hunch that the highly excited ions and electrons in the violent environment of thermite, may cause them to create more of a covalent bond than a classic metallic bond.
I make my own refractory through much trial and error. Safety is paramount. Nothing like watching, (and feeling), a 12# thermite charge to scare common sense in a guy.
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[*] posted on 15-1-2015 at 12:31


I remember seeing that 3rd video early last year. Did you ever get it, or any other projects done using your awesome home-made equiptment assayed?

I get the feeling it'd be insanely difficult to get the ratio of metals to within a decent accuracy for most anything more than 2 different metals due to variability of temp during the burns.
That being said, I have no experience with thermite alloys, and only minimal experience with binary thermites themselves.
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[*] posted on 17-1-2015 at 00:03


http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=17625&...
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Jerry Bennett
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[*] posted on 20-1-2015 at 08:07


Quote: Originally posted by Mesa  
I remember seeing that 3rd video early last year. Did you ever get it, or any other projects done using your awesome home-made equiptment assayed?

I get the feeling it'd be insanely difficult to get the ratio of metals to within a decent accuracy for most anything more than 2 different metals due to variability of temp during the burns.
That being said, I have no experience with thermite alloys, and only minimal experience with binary thermites themselves.


It's actually fairly easy to get proper ratios of desired alloys. If you look at my furnace design, at the bottom above the catch crucible, there is an "alloying chamber". It contains whatever alloys you wish. It also keeps them from reacting to the thermite. It is separated from the thermite mix with a simple melt door. Also a melt door at the bottom of the alloying chamber.
I did get the last few ingots tested, both with spectro and SEM. They came out quite close to what I wanted to make.
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[*] posted on 25-1-2015 at 15:59


Yo Bert. Would you kindly move this to the proper place. I have something in mind I would like to try. Reactive stuff. Ordered chaos, you know. Only stuff the theoretical Physicists and mad bombers know. :cool: Thanks in advance.
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