From: glhurst@onr.com (Gerald L. Hurst)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: AlumASeal
Date: 31 Oct 1995 09:45:57 GMT
Organization: Consulting Chemist

In article <4749bu$nf8@maureen.teleport.com>, troy@teleport.com (Troy) says:

>Is their a useable amount of Al in that radiator sealer called
>AlumASeal? It seams to be fine Al and something else.
>
>Thanks.
>
>P.S. Is thier and easy way to turn Fe powder into Fe203?

Yes, get a Ph.D. in chemistry and then you will learn that wet 
iron turns to rust.

A better question might be "Dear Mr. chemist, Can you tell me
how to prevent my iron powder from turning into Fe2O3 when
the weather is damp?"

Actually, the best synthesis for Fe2O3 is the reaction of 
ordinary table salt with a buick in the presence of a little
water. If you put your Dad's old Roadmaster in a large flat 
pan, you can recycle the salt (the chemical term for this is 
"basting").  Under optimum conditions, a single pound of NaCl
can produce up to 4,500 pounds of moderately pure, slightly
hydrated Fe2O3 suitable for making well over two tons of
thermite or for conversion into sheet metal. 

BTW, the reaction is complete when the product consists of 
a large reddish-brown heap, 4 unattached tires and two
sets of vinyl seat covers. The rubber and plastic items 
should be saved in case you later want to make a sizable 
batch of Bulgarian sematech.

In a future article I hope to be able to present a recipe
for turning certain imported cars into a stoichiometric
mixture of Fe2O3 and aluminum/magnesium for ready made 
thermite.  Getting the proper oxide to metal ratio by 
careful brand selection was not difficult, but getting the 
aluminum to pulverize spontaneously is causing some 
theoretical, but probably not insurmountable difficulties.

Jerry