13 replies to this topic

[spectrum]

I am trying to source any alloys in ingot form.

 

Before I receive links to the obvious sources on the net - I have already looked at the obvious sources on the net!

 

(sorry if that's sarcastic)

 

Keen to hear from anyone with any experience in this field or anything to sell.

 

Paul

[dave]

may we ask what its for ?

 

presumably you potentially have a commercial use to evaluate ?

[cooperman435]

It would help to know roughly the alloys your trying to get too as differing types would come under various headings?

Exact ratios you may want to keep private but a guide would be a good start :-)

[spectrum]

Low energy spark generating, I am assuming Cerium will be a significant component and thus Mischmetal is main focus but with a low Iron content as I want relatively short duration sparks and not the long duration hot blobs created by Ferrocerium.

[dave]

well you are correct re cerium, its an excellent spark material,

ici used it in their cerium fuseheads  years ago

 

sounds an interesting application, care to share ?

 

how about the spare lighter flints or are they containing too much iron ?

 

how about zirconium ?

 

does ellern have any useful info ? don't have my copy to hand at the mo

Edited by dave, 29 June 2016 - 09:06 PM.

[Arthur Brown]

Ce 59%

Fe 0.2%

 

Any interest

[dave]

Arthur,
 
where did you dig that combination from ?
 
see below also,

Zirconium, like cerium and a few other
rare metals, is pyrophoric, or prodi-sparkic -
ing. Cigarette-lighter flints of zirconium
alloy, giving a hotter proch than ordinary
cerium flints, were marketed during the last
war when cerium’s scarcity enabled them to
compete in price. They may reappear in
stores as zirconium becomes more plentiful.
Industrial-size sparking flints are currently
made of this same 2irconium-lead alloy, pro-
duced by Metal Hydrides, Inc., of Beverly,
Mass. It doesn’t deteriorate in warm or
moist air, and will spark even when wet.

Edited by dave, 30 June 2016 - 08:00 PM.

[cooperman435]

40.8% "element X" ? :-)

[dave]

[spectrum]

Many thanks for the interest and help. I have sourced an alloy which is:

 

Ce 54,9%, 
La 28,19%, 
Nd 12,89%, 
Pr 4,02%, 
Si 0,028%, 
Fe 0,22%, 
Mg <0,05% 

 

The frustrating thing is that I already had a reasonable quantity of this metal and didn't realise it - or that I would need it. I can't recall when but I am certain I binned it all.

[dave]

is that Mischmetal ?

[pyrotrev]

Looks like expensive stuff

[Arthur Brown]

With the La Nd and Pr content I'm not surprised at the price. 

[pyrotrev]

Strictly speaking, pyrophoric doesn't just apply to making sparks when struck./abraded, but anything that will spontaneously ignite in air. So magnesium (remember Phill?? ) ,  titanium, sodium and even plutonium (which will light up even in a solid block) are examples.

Edited by pyrotrev, 23 July 2016 - 09:39 PM.