Articles Application and composition of thermite mixture

Application and composition of thermite mixture

Thermite mixture is a monofuel with equal parts of the fuel components and an oxidizing agent. Its key property is being easily flammable with no oxygen.

Application

Thermite mixtures are used for different purposes: usually, to achieve higher thermal impact or detonator effect. Firework thermite mixtures are used as lighting means or as the basis to manufacture signal flares. However, welding is the main thermite application area: joints made during thermal welding of the metals are characterized with long service life and durability.

Composition

Purpose determines the composition of thermite mixtures. There are the following mixtures:
  • standard;
  • firework;
  • copper thermite mixture;
  • thermocrayon.
Traditionally, chemic thermite mixture is defined as a mixture from aluminum and iron cinder elements which are fine-grained. They are widely spread in industry and for welding, because activation of thermite mixture when burnt is accompanied with temperature increase and heat emission. Firework thermite composition basis is fuel and an oxidizing agent in a complicated form. Potassium chlorade, suplhur, and strontium carbonate are the applied components. Potassium chlorade serves to be an oxidizing agent, while sulphur is a fuel element. Burning of these mixtures increases temperature, and the heat is actively emitted. However, they are not applicable for thermal impact: burning presupposes intense fire. Thermite copper mixture (NGK) includes copper oxide. This mixture is manufactured for welding at steel main pipelines to be used for gas transportation. The joints are reliable, therefore the thermal heat is emitted in high amounts. Thus, instead of ferromagnesium, copper-based thermal mixture contains ferrosilicium with considerably low melting temperature. The combination of copper oxide (70 5), copper powder (12 %), alumunium (10 %) and ferrosilicium or ferromagnesium (8 %) provides reliability for the welding operations since heat emission increases during melting process. Thermite Crayon is known for its cylinder shape. It is placed inside a heat resistant melting pot, and the cord end runs through its hole in the cover. It is easy to transport and store, does not require one to manufacture thermite matches.
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