Introduction

Quote: Originally posted by SuperNova153

Hi everyone! I’ve been browsing this site for years and benefited so much from the wealth of knowledge it holds. I figured I’d make an account so I can finally be a part of the community. Although I’m a nurse by profession I’ve always been interested in chemistry and physics. I mainly enjoy chemistry as a hobby, synthesizing substances/reagents mostly for fun or sometimes utility. I also play with high voltage and fusors. I’ve been attempting more challenging projects so it’ll be very helpful to ask specific questions related to what I’m working on. Thank you to everyone for all the help thus far and I hope what I can contribute will be of help to others as well!

Hi and welcome to the Forum! Do you have a YouTube channel or a website? I look forward to seeing the results of your work and I'm curious

Thank you! I appreciate the support. The videos will come slowly but these kinds of projects are my passion so you can certainly expect to see more

Interesting channel! I'm not an expert on fusors, but I follow this issue. What temperature do you think yours is reaching? And what about neutrons? Is a fusor more about a strong electrostatic field, or is it a combination of very high temperature and a strong electric field. I read that one amateur even built a working Stelator at home, powered by a microwave source. Won't you try that in the future too? I'm into gem synthesis using hot plasma as well, just over 2000 C is enough, if you have any tips on how to create unconventional plasma at several thousand degrees C, please let me know Thanks.

I wish I could say I'm an expert on fusors but as with most things "The more I learn, the more I realize I don't know"
I'd have to read more into gem synthesis but is that performed by physical vapor deposition? Do you have a channel or website I could check out as well? I'd love to help if I can, just need to get acquainted with how the process works.
The way I understand it the plasma temperature is measured based on the kinetic energy of the ions, which is highly dependent on the potential difference of the electric field as well as the chamber's pressure. My power supply can provide 22kV, so when the pressure is at the sweet spot where it is low enough to allow this high of a voltage, but not too low that there is no current flow, the plasma temperature in the fusor is 22,000K(or eV). While this number sounds impressive there are very few ions in the chamber due to the low pressure, and it's a Maxwellian distribution so only a small percentage of those in the chamber reach those high speeds. So it's mostly the strong electric field which results in the very high temperature. As far as neutrons I have measured neutron radiation with a He-3 tube when using home electrolyzed deuterium gas. I will definitely make a video of the whole setup, but first I wanted to confirm neutron radiation (and calibrate my He-3 neutron tube) by using a bubble dosimeter before I officially claim fusion. The trouble is the bubble dosimeters are a bit expensive so waiting on that purchase.
I have actually considered building a demonstration tokamak. I think tuning the electromagnets to make RF powered torroidal plasma would be ridiculously challenging and really fun. All in good time

Thanks so much for your willingness! Yes, you can make gems like ruby by physical vapor deposition, as you write from the gas phase. There are really many possibilities and gems too In the case of relatively for the synthesis of simple and beautiful ruby Al2O3, doped with a small amount of Cr2O3, the boiling point of Al2O3 is about 3000 C and Cr2O3 about 4000 C. I have so far made rubies by the flux method in a platinum crucible, using MoO3 and Li2CO3 as a mineralizer, this is a substance that significantly lowers the melting point of Al2O3, specifically to about 800 C, but I have used a temperature of about 1000 C and it facilitates its crystallization and the Li2CO3 serves to limit the volatility of MoO3. The gist of it is more complicated, I've simplified it a lot here. Then I made ruby and chromium doped Ga2O3, green, which changes colors under UV light, so far using an autogenous torch with temperatures up to just over 3000 C. Here's a link to my page, but it only has the synthesis described above so far:

https://admagistr.over-blog.com/2022/12/zeleny-neznamy-draho...

Because I lost data on my laptop by a software error, a lot of photos and videos, so I will have to find them somehow or shoot them again.
A friend from the US, Matt Wilson has made some interesting but not gemmy rubies using a flyback transformer and plasma, here is a link to his great YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQTK4hODwuw

Unfortunately he has been unable to conduct his experiments for some time now due to health reasons. He is also a member of our Forum!
I am trying all possible methods because I like the diversity and so many possibilities that lead to similar or the same goal. I don't look at the economic side of things, whether it is more or less financially worthwhile, but I am concerned from a scientific point of view with finding as many ways and paths as possible leading to one goal.
The Czochralski method is also interesting, here is a link:

http://www.theimage.com/newgems/synthetic/syntheticanimate2....

It would be great to build a miniature Czochralski apparatus, I just wouldn't use an iridium crucible for financial reasons, but a tungsten or molybdenum one.
I recently found out that it can be done too using a CO2 laser of 40 to 60 W. I already have a suitable CO2 laser waiting to be built
Thank you also for the information about nuclear fusion, a very interesting topic! Since we are already going beyond the topic of your Welcome to the Forum, we can continue the discussion via U2U Thank you again very much for your willingness and help!



[Edited on 30-3-2024 by Admagistr]