Thermite

Chemistry Lab Practice

Objective
Create termite, a powerful explosive that is used to liquefy metal in a matter of seconds. Learn also how harmless components can be used to create somethinguseful.

Theory
Termite is an explosive that is made of aluminum and iron oxide. This explosive can cause reactions up to 2000ºF, which is half of the heat produced by an atomic bomb. Hans Goldschmidtwas a German chemist who discovered the alumino-thermic process. Hans used this method mostly to wield metals. Thermite was used mostly to wield train tracks together. Also it has a military use,which is disabling artillery and destroying data preventing the enemy to capture it.
This process takes a metal oxide with aluminum to form a reaction in which aluminum becomes an oxide and also theresult of a free metal.
The reaction trying to achieve is the following:

Fe2O3 + Al Al2O3 + Fe

Which balanced show this result:

Fe2O3 + 2Al Al2O3 + 2Fe

Materials
* Aluminum (powder)* Iron oxide (powder)
* Iodine

* Potassium chlorate
* Sulfuric acid
Or
* Thin strip of magnesium

* Solid metal container
* Welder glasses
* Heavy gloves
*Fire extinguisher
* Several firebricks

Procedure
Measure 8:3 ratio proportions of iron oxide and aluminum respectively (both need to be in powder). The amount needs to be almost 50% / 50% mix byvolume. Reaction starts by adding a small amount of potassium chlorate and putting over the chloride some drops of sulfuric acid. A thin strip of magnesium can also ignite the thermite. Thermitemixed with Iodine can produce purple smoke.

Warnings
* Once the thermite reaction starts it is almost impossible to stop it.
* Lighting thermite with an ice block is extremely dangerous as itcauses an explosion.
* Do not look at the flame directly; use special glasses.
* Keep the fire extinguisher nearby to put out secondary fires as this wont put out the thermite.
*...