Aluminium Thermit reaction

Lead oxide reacts violently with numerous metals such as sodium powder (immediate ignition), aluminium (thermite reaction, which is often explosive), zirconium (detonation), titanium, some metalloids, boron (incandescence by heating), boron-silicon or boron-aluminium mixtures (detonation in the last two cases). Finally, silicon gives rise to a violent reaction unless it is combined with aluminium (violent detonation). It also catalyses the explosive decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. 

Sparks created by arcs in electrical switchgear, engines, motors, or by friction (e.g. lighter spark). Aluminium, magnesium, titanium and their alloys have an affinity for oxygen and in a thermite reaction with rust produce temperatures <3000°C. A thermite flash can result from the... 

Reaction with other substances Thermite reaction Rust Exothermic reactions with aluminium, aluminium alloys... 

Striking of a smear or thin coating of alloy on rusty steel with a hammer. The glancing impact of stainless steel, mild steel, brass, copper-heryllium hronze, aluminium copper and zinc onto aluminium smears on rusty steel can initiate a thermite reaction of sufficient thermal energy to ignite flammahle gas/vapour-air atmosphere or dust clouds. 

Titanium dioxide is reduced violently by lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and aluminium thermite type of reaction). 

When it is hot, tin oxide is reduced violently by electropositive metals in thermite reactions. This goes for sodium, potassium, magnesium and aluminium. 

Barium sulphate is not a strong oxidant yet it can give rise to a very violent thermite reaction when it is heated in the presence of a very electropositive metal. This applies to aluminium for which an accident was described. In addition, there was an accident which involved a mixture of this sulphate with red phosphorus although the latter had been previously treated with potassium nitrate and calcium silicide. 

Many metal oxo-compounds (nitrates, oxides and particularly sulfates) and sulfides are reduced violently or explosively (i.e. undergo thermite reaction) on heating an intimate mixture with aluminium powder to a suitably high temperature to initiate the reaction. Contact of massive aluminium with molten salts may give explosions [1], Application of sodium carbonate to molten (red hot) aluminium caused an explosion [2]. 

See Iron(III) oxide Aluminium, See other molten salt baths, thermite reactions... 

A joint between a mild steel valve screwed onto an aluminium pipe was leaking a resin-solvent mixture, and when the joint was tightened with a wrench, a flash fire occurred. This was attributed to generation of sparks by a thermite reaction between the rusted steel valve and the aluminium pipe when the joint was tightened [1]. Hazards involved in the use of aluminium-sprayed steel are reviewed [2],... 

See Aluminium, etc., Boron, etc. and Barium chromate, etc., all above See other frictional initiation incidents, static initiation incidents See also thermite reactions... 

An attempted thermite reaction with aluminium powder and copper(II) oxide in place of iron(III) oxide caused a violent explosion. An anonymous comment suggests that a greater reaction rate and exothermic effect were involved, and adds that attempted use of silver oxide would be even more violent [1]. An explosion... 

The anhydrous salt will undergo a thermite reaction with aluminium to produce molten iron. 

An intimately powdered mixture, usually ignited by magnesium ribbon as a high-temperature fuse, reacts with an intense exotherm to produce molten iron and was used formerly (before the advent of gas or arc welding) in the commercial thermite welding process. Incendive particles have been produced by this reaction on impact between aluminium and rusty iron. (The term thermite reaction has now been extended to include many combinations of reducing metals and metal oxides) [1], Some accidents in demonstrating the thermite reaction are described [2],... 

Mixtures of the oxide with aluminium powder give a violent or explosive thermite reaction on heating. Finely divided sodium ignites on admixture with the oxide, and a mixture of the latter with zirconium explodes on heating. Titanium is also oxidised violently on warming. 

Aluminium powders are also used for the thermite reaction. This is the reaction traditionally used to weld rail tracks together in situ 2Al(s)+Fe203(s)=2Fe(l) + Al203(s), which produces so much heat that molten iron is produced, but it can also be used to produce other less easily reduced metals, such as Mo, from their oxides. Using nanometer particles dramatically improves performance, and these reactions are used as priming reactions for munitions and in fireworks. 

A mixture of the 3 compounds exploded violently during mixing. Previously the mixture had been accidentally ignited by a spark. Aluminium powder is incompatible with oxidants, and its mixture with titanium dioxide is a thermite-like combination. See Aluminium Metal oxides See also THERMITE REACTIONS... 

An incident is reported in which ferric chloride reacted violently with an aluminium dish being used as a reaction vessel. This is the halide variant of the classic Thermite reaction. 

See Aluminium Metal oxides See other THERMITE REACTIONS... 

See Iron(III) oxide Aluminium and subsequent entries Magnesium Metal oxides, 4685 THERMITE REACTIONS... 

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