Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: eric2011 on 09/10/2015 15:14:16

Title: Can I melt aluminium oxide with a blow-torch?
Post by: eric2011 on 09/10/2015 15:14:16

Hello.

If I take an oxyacetylene torch which can reach temperature up to 3200 C and point underneath a ceramic crucible filled with aluminum oxide which melts at 2100 C will the torch be able to melt the powder?

Title: Re: Melting Aluminum Oxide
Post by: chiralSPO on 09/10/2015 16:10:23

What's the crucible made of? There are ceramics that can handle that, and ceramics that can't...

Title: Re: Melting Aluminum Oxide
Post by: eric2011 on 09/10/2015 16:22:07

Quote from: chiralSPO on 09/10/2015 16:10:23

What's the crucible made of? There are ceramics that can handle that, and ceramics that can't...

I do not know but the seller told me it can stand more than 3000 C

Title: Re: Melting Aluminum Oxide
Post by: wolfekeeper on 09/10/2015 16:51:05

You might well need more than one torch to get the whole crucible up to temperature.

Title: Re: Can I melt aluminium oxide with a blow-torch?
Post by: Bored chemist on 10/10/2015 00:26:05

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verneuil_process

Title: Re: Melting Aluminum Oxide
Post by: evan_au on 10/10/2015 00:40:36

Would an electrolytic process (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_smelting) achieve what you are trying to do, but at a lower temperature?

Title: Re: Can I melt aluminium oxide with a blow-torch?
Post by: chiralSPO on 10/10/2015 00:44:13

you can generate oxygen and hydrogen electrolytically, and burn them together in a torch flame with kits like this (http://hydrogengarage.com/h2eat.html). I probably wouldn't muck around with this sort of thing myself these days, but you can get some really high temperatures and rates of heating using hydrogen/oxygen...