Chem Quickie: Thermite Flash Powder

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! In this video I demonstrate a very fast burning thermite mixture boosted by an additional oxidizer. Pyro grade aluminum powder, manganese dioxide powder, and potassium perchlorate powder are combined in the usual way. Then the mixture is ignited using a potassium permanganate-glycerol mixture which provided a delay that allowed me to move to a safe distance.

A thermite reaction, more properly a Goldschmidt Reaction or the Goldschmidt Process, is the reaction between a powdered metal (usually aluminum) and a metal oxide. The reaction is driven by the high stability of the aluminum oxide product versus the metal oxide reactant. Initially heat must be injected into the system to melt the aluminum which frees it of its passivating oxide coating and allows the highly reactive aluminum metal to come into contact with the metal oxide. And then away we go!

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