MnO2/Al

[1000panoramicznych]

did U made a powder of the sparkler or just put stick in thermit?

[egloskerry]

@1000panoramicznych The latter.

[dgstein5515]

could i just use the MnO2 for an explosion? I mean do I need the Al powder?

[egloskerry]

@dgstein5515 MnO2 alone isn't all that reactive. You need a reducing agent.

[dgstein5515]

@egloskerry ok. What are good easy to get or even make at home reduction agents?

[egloskerry]

@dgstein5515 You should probably study redox reactions before asking these questions. Take a chem class if you haven't yet.

[JaiNobesIsARat]

Does the aluminium need to be powdered? I guess it would (unfortunately) but would foil work? And is there an easy way to grind foil down to a fine powder?

[egloskerry]

Yes, the finer the better. Mine is 2500 mesh. Google around. There are many tutorials for making crude Al powder from foil.

[crimesO1]

If I am not mistaken that is thermite.

[Th1s1sR3z0r]

You are mistaken... thermite is IRON oxide with Aluminium while this is Manganese oxide with aluminium similar effects different fuel sources... Thermite is more volatile and easier to get...

[crimesO1]

oh... ok my bad not very educated in this subject but very intrested.

[Th1s1sR3z0r]

Thats ok i wasnt criticising :) Beside we learn on our mistakes :-) keep it up (Y) glad to see people interested in Chemistry and Physics

[JaiNobesIsARat]

My Chemistry teacher (AS level) said Thermite is any displacement reaction that takes place between a metal oxide and another metal, the bigger the gap in reactivity the more energy given off.

[Th1s1sR3z0r]

and she is right... I was referring the the commercial thermite :) aka the Iron Oxide, since it is a lot easier to Obtain than Manganese oxide and others... :) So people mainly refer to Iron Oxide and Aluminium powder as thermite, and call others by their name due to how rare they are... Manganese oxide is very expensive and it is referred to that way. :)

[japanesepoptart]

actually, thermite is a mixture of a metal oxide with aluminum. the typically used oxide is iron oxide but it can be a different oxide

[Th1s1sR3z0r]

That exactly what i said... lol Most scientist refer to other oxides with aluminium with their actual names while IRON OXIDE and aluminium is the common commercial one to which they refer to as Thermite. Im not saying other oxide metals with aluminium arent thermite im just saying they arent refered to in the colloquial =] while IRON OXIDE with aluminium is the most common and is reffered to as thermite.

[egloskerry]

Thermite is not just a metal oxide with Al, but a metal oxide with a metal, as JaiNobesIsARat stated.

@Th1s1sR3z0r: MnO2 is not expensive at all. My supplier has it for 40 cents more per pound than Fe3O4.

[mysteriose7en]

actually, MnO2, or manganese DIoxide is found in zinc-carbon batteries

[egloskerry]

@mysteriose7en Except cutting open a bunch of batteries takes time...

[mysteriose7en]

@egloskerry yea, but when you take used batteries and harvest them, its worth it

[egloskerry]

@mysteriose7en I guess everyone has a hobby?

[linuxpowerification]

@egloskerry

whats??? i open the batteries in less than a minute,and you still can use the carbon electrode to make sulfuric acid.

[demnlordd666]

@Th1s1sR3z0r who is mistaken? ya thats you, thermite is just another way saying metal/metal oxide mix that when heated begins the redox rxn of transfering the oxygen, works because the metal is trying to reduce the oxide at the same time the oxide is trying to oxidize the free metal. so they are working together to force the reaction. also what is easier to get, used batteries or large reliable ammounts of rust? ya every household has used batteries. not all have a scrap yard out back

[ignilc]

is this a method of making manganese metal out of its oxide? i mean, are you sure that the MnO2 is completely reduced to the aluminum? Maybe it only gives like 2MnO2 -> 2MnO + O2 ... nice videos!

[egloskerry]

It should be. However, remember that there is still going to be some unreacted MnO2, and a lot of Al and Al2O3 in there.