CrEaTiVePyroScience - 17-4-2012 at 08:52
I need fine magnesium powder and I want to seperate it from my so called "magnalium" powder which I bought few weeks ago from ebay. It contains 50%
magnesium and 50% aluminium. And I am wondering how I can seperate them they are both non magnetic so using a magnetic won't work. Magnesium is more
reactive then aluminium so seperating it with acids will also not work , I think.
It is a very fine powder (325mesh).
On the description it sais:
-
Chemical analysis:
Al -min.50,5%
Mg -min.49,09%
This Magnalium powder is from direct manufactory for special pyro order,melted together and ball milled.Guarantee 325mesh size.
-
Any idea of seperation or this just isn't possible?
DerAlte - 17-4-2012 at 10:21
"melted together" means it is an alloy. You do know what an alloy is, I hope. So it should have been obvious, unless you know absolutely nothing about
physics and chemistry, that it will be impossible for you to separate. Think before you post nonsense.
Don't post without thinking. Since you seem to be posting at an unprecedented rate I suggest you slow down and think before posting any more. This is
not a chat forum.
Der Alte
CrEaTiVePyroScience - 17-4-2012 at 10:48
Not really.. It's not because its an alloy it cant be seperated dude. It can just be alot more tricky.
I had a gallium aluminium alloy and seperated it got a video about it on my youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JasZ8V6LpbQ
It's clearly an alloy and I seperated the gallium.
So I don't think so this is a stupid question!
So you are 78years old , a so called "experienced" chemist and I am 15?
And I only got maximum 2-3 topics on this whole forum??
[Edited on 17-4-2012 by CrEaTiVePyroScience]
DerAlte - 17-4-2012 at 11:11
Just consider the difference between the reactivity of Mg or Al and Ga. And between Al and Mg. I am sure you pyro supplier will be glad to ship you Mg
or Al power and save you wasting your time - and ours.
Der Alte
Nicodem - 17-4-2012 at 11:14
You can separate them by distillation. Piece of cake!
Otherwise, there are no practical ways to separate the constituents of alloys without resorting to redox reactions and chemical treatment. For
example, in that video, you don't achieve the separation of the alloy into its constituents, as you only end up with gallium. A separation of only one
constituent is called an isolation. In the case of magnalium this is not so easily achievable, because even if you separate the magnesium compounds
from aluminium compounds, the reduction of Mg(II) to regenerate Mg(0) is not trivial.
Why don't you just buy magnesium? No route from magnalium to magnesium can be comparable economically.
m1tanker78 - 17-4-2012 at 11:14
Being that both metals exhibit similar characteristics and neither can reliably be electroplated, I'd say it's impossible to separate them 'at home'.
Find some bulk magnesium parts or fire starters and some good ol' elbow grease.
Tank
CrEaTiVePyroScience - 17-4-2012 at 11:20
@Nicodem Yeah I know in the video the aluminium was converted to aluminium oxide but I only wanted the gallium back which is way more expensive.
And I was just being curious and trying to explore some science of seperating the alloy of MgAl the main reason was to explore the science not to use
the magnesium. Already got fine magnesium powder
@DerAlte , its not a money waste because I still am using it for lots of flash powder compositions. And YOU should think before you saying something
before saying that I said something stupid because you can seperate alloys.
@M1tanker78 Thanks for the confirmation but will do some extra research to find a way will let you guys know!