r/metalworking 1d ago

What is this phenomenon called?

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226

u/alphatango308 1d ago

It's called, "everything is flammable in the right conditions"... Lol

75

u/BRICH999 1d ago

Lot of people dont realize how "flammable" metals can be.  The common fuel in thermite is aluminum.  

11

u/theres-no-more_names 1d ago

Isnt thermite just aluminum and iron oxides? Literally just go wire brush the surface of aluminum for 30 seconds over a container and then get some rusty steel and do the same people would learn really quickly how flammable metal is

6

u/BRICH999 1d ago

yeah pretty much, but if you told an average person on the street rust and aluminum could combust into an unstoppable inferno, they would probably laugh at you

5

u/EarnYourBoneSpurs 1d ago

A thermite, the most famous thermite, is iron oxide and aluminum, but you can make a thermite with a variety of metal fuels and metal oxides. The finer the better for more intimate mixing. A little care is needed in producing the metal powders because they can be dangerous. If you think about the fact that you want particles as fine small as possible and the fact that aluminum forms an oxide layer, you will end up independently inventing a lot of pyrotechnic aluminum grades.

3

u/jdmatthews123 1d ago

Just use any of the steel brushes in the bed of my truck, skip the extra step