Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: Mercury spills



Aluminum doesn't work. Al has an oxide surface coating that ordinarily
prevents amalgamation. Mercury attacks only a fresh Al surface, such as
when a scratch is made. If you scratch the Aluminum, then rub the
scratch with Mercury, the Al disolves in the Hg but oxidizes as soon as
it comes to the surface of the Hg; so you get a feathery growth of AlO3
out of the scratch. Very interesting to watch.

Prof. Eric T. Lane 318 Grote Hall 423-755-4523 eric-lane@utc.edu
Physics Department, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, TN 37403

On Wed, 5 May 1999, brian whatcott wrote:

Possibly in the area of urban legends, but an
experimentalist might find it worth a try:
mercury is said to actively amalgamate with aluminum - so it has
been called a positive danger to airframes.

One thing that is not a legend: aluminum is sold in a variety
of powder sizes at reasonable prices - amateur incendiaries - er -
I mean firework makers have many uses for it.
brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>
Altus OK