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Aluminum Oxide


ActionTekJackson

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Well, I could use some help. I'm needing to make a fairly large amount of Aluminum Oxide, and I'd really just rather do it all in one large reaction. So far the most complete method I've found would be to dissolve Aluminum in Sodium Hydroxide, and then bubble Carbon Dioxide through the solution to neutralize the Hydroxide and precipitate out the Aluminum Hydroxide. However, could I not merely "cook" the aluminum till it became an oxide? Anyone know of any other large scale methods that could be done?
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this would leave you with aluminium carbonate. some thermite reaction would probably suffice..

*slaps self* good point... CuO/Al thermite should leave Aluminum Oxide right? However, prior experience with this didn't leave much of anything collectable behind...

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I would disagree, the hydrolysis products would leave you with sodium carbonate and aluminum hydroxide, I am thinking. One could dissolve Al in HCl, boil it to dry, perhaps hydrolyse or displace with some NaOH and collect the hydroxide.
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How much Al2O3 are we talking here? If its for a refractory furnace or something you would be better off buying it from a ceramics store. Art stores sometimes carry it as an abraisive. Hardware stores too. Used sometimes to sand blast things. Harbor freight tools might have it.
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How much Al2O3 are we talking here? If its for a refractory furnace or something you would be better off buying it from a ceramics store. Art stores sometimes carry it as an abraisive. Hardware stores too. Used sometimes to sand blast things. Harbor freight tools might have it.

Well, it's for a reloadable rocket motor, so I'm wanting somewhere's of up to at least 200g Al2O3.

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Aluminum oxide is used as an abrasive for sandblasting and polishing. Maybe some of the larger hardware stores might carry it? Just don't waste good aluminum to make it!
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Aluminum oxide is used as an abrasive for sandblasting and polishing. Maybe some of the larger hardware stores might carry it? Just don't waste good aluminum to make it!

Psh... like Aluminum Foil is hard to get :rolleyes: I've seen Al2O3 before it's pretty brittle, easily powdered.

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I figured out a way to make Al2O3, mix Al foil with bleach and leave for a few days, no poisonous gases are formed, when you come back, it won't look too different, but it powders easily and is more dull. wash it as it isn't soluable, to get the bleach, salt etc off, and let it dry. Now you might come up for some technical reason about why this shouldn't work, it does.
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I figured out a way to make Al2O3, mix Al foil with bleach and leave for a few days, no poisonous gases are formed, when you come back, it won't look too different, but it powders easily and is more dull. wash it as it isn't soluable, to get the bleach, salt etc off, and let it dry. Now you might come up for some technical reason about why this shouldn't work, it does.

Hmm.... I bet a bleach/vinegar mix would work better. Can't say for sure though, I mean it oxidizes Iron almost instantly, and copper in a couple hours, spose I'll have to try it some Al.

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Well hot damn.... didn't even think to look there.... Snap dude... thanks!!

 

And Ozzy... if you even think you have a chance of "sorting" it out with mumbles... you're just gonna have your ass handed to you...

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Well hot damn.... didn't even think to look there.... Snap dude... thanks!!

 

And Ozzy... if you even think you have a chance of "sorting" it out with mumbles... you're just gonna have your ass handed to you...

dont mention it, i buy stuff from there all the time. And i second ozzys ass getting his ass handed to him on a silver platter,

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