Magnesium safe handling

S. E. Housh and J. S. Waltrip, Safe Handling of Magnesium Alloys, paper no. 900786, Society of Automotive Engineers, Detroit, Mich., 1990. 

St ruct u re - rcacti vity relationships) mechanism of formation. 145-218 preparation of, 9 20 alternative methods for. 17-20 effect of oxygen on, 10 effect of solvent on. 10 12. 64. 671 effect of water on. 10 safe handling practices, tl -12. 79-87 of Rteke magnesium, 68 as strong base, 2... 

Safe handling of magnesium is important to avoid hazardous conditions (see Section 6.2.7). 

Caution Potassium is highly reactive. Although it may be handled safely in air if it is covered with a hydrocarbon solvent such as heptane or mineral oil, it will spark and ignite flammable organic vapors on contact with water. The magnesium formed in this reaction is highly reactive and pyrophoric (Note 1). Accordingly, Parts C and D of this procedure should be carried out behind a safety shield. 

The thermodynamic properties of magnesium make it a natural choice for use as an anode material in rechargeable batteries, as it may provide a considerably higher energy density than the commonly used lead-acid and nickel-cadmium systems, while in contrast to Pb and Cd, magnesium is inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and safe to handle. However, the development of Mg-ion batteries has so far been limited by the kinetics of Mg " " diffusion and the lack of suitable electrolytes. Actually, in spite of an expected general similarity between the processes of Li and Mg ion insertion into inorganic host materials, most of the compounds that exhibit fast and reversible Li ion insertion perform very poorly in Mg " ions. Hence, there... 

Another type of bomb used to a considerable extent during WWII was the multiple effect bomb. It contained either magnesium or phosphorus in separate units. These units were ejected from the bomb upon impact and ignition and scattered over a wide area. The burning Mg units could be handled in the same manner as the electron bomb. The P units could be treated with water, but should be removed to a safe place before allowing them to... 

Using magnesium hydroxide slurry to control pH instead of concentrated sodium hydroxide solutions, which are corrosive to humans and relatively hazardous to handle magnesium hydroxide slurry is relatively safe to use in comparison... 

Magnesium metal is safe to handle, but latex gloves are recommended. 

The first discovered members of this class were dimethyl zinc and diethyl zinc (Frankland, 1849). They are relatively easy and safe to handle—for example, blanketed by carbon dioxide gas with which they do not react, whereas, remarkably, beryllium and magnesium alkyls can react under glow with carbon dioxide gas. Many of these compounds will react explosively with water and also with carbon tetrachloride. However, spontaneous ignitibility in air and stability toward various reagents may well occur with the same compound. 

---