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From: wilson@b11.ingr.com (Jon Wilson)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: re: Aluminum burning
Message-ID: <1990Jul16.031050.5934@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 16 Jul 90 03:10:50 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: Intergraph Corp. Huntsville, AL
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From: wilson@b11.ingr.com (Jon Wilson)


POWDERED aluminum burns most impressively. Mixed with iron oxide (oxides of 
any of the ferrous-group metals, like chromium, will work as well) it's 
known as thermite. 

Thermite is an interesting substance. Half-and-half powdered aluminum and
iron oxide (rust), ignited by a bit of magnesium ribbon, makes for a rather
spectacular lab experiment. Put a tray of sand under the (expendable) crucible
containing this, and you will get a small, white-hot nugget of very pure 
iron. It will melt the bottom out of the crucible, though, and just about
anything else.

Thermite is a major ingredient of incendiary bombs. 



Jonathan "Don't try this at home, we're trained professionals" Wilson
Intergraph Corporation