[NewCandle] More pics from Nick

[Nick Reiter]

Hi All,

Thanks again, Keith,

A couple of random observations:

1.  The oxide layer with the oxalic may be thinner, or
it may be stressed differently or is denser... because
when I snipped out a little bit for the SEM from the
pop can bottom that had been run with the phosphoric
acid (bright yellow glow) the oxide crust there seemed
to break into the dehydrated mud flat cracked tiles.

2.  Snipping out a piece from the oxalic run can did
not seem to fracture the "ceramic" coating.  In the
low mag picture shown with this set, you'll see a
large smashed in dimple to the top of the photo.  This
was actually done intentionally with the tip[ of some
stainless tweezers, to try to make a hole in the
coating to get some glimpse of thickness.  As you can
see, it sort of conformally smooshed out with the
aluminum.

3.  Now back in the heyday of AGD work, I remember
trying some strips of Zr foil in lieu of Al foil, in
the AC version where the strips were suspended in a
mason jar with weak baking soda solution.  I THOUGHT
that I witnessed a very weak glow, and so presumed
that Zr and maybe even Ti might act similarly to Al. 
Well, this morning, I was in at the lab, and I made a
simulated pop can bottom from Zr foil, and set it up
in the same geometry and style (DC supply, graphite
cathode, with the Zr foil disc in the bottom of a
styrofoam cup puck.)  Tried weak oxalic, phosphoric,
and baking soda electrolytes, and could not get a
glow.  SO maybe Zr acts differently than Al after all,
or maybe I was just seeing things back in the day when
I swore I saw a faint emission.

Overall, the brightest bluest glow of any situation
was with polished rod electrodes, and either DC power
with helical stainless wire cathode, OR AC with two
rods, and citric acid.  I can polish a pop can bottom
in situ, though, and try that first... maybe I'll get
a stronger blue with oxalic.

N
--- Keith Nagel <NewCandleAdmin at ipdiscover.com> wrote:

> OK, new batch of pics, a bit delayed by some
> foolishness on my part.
> 
>
http://www.kpnconsulting.com/newcandle/download/nick4.htm
> 
> It's a shame the resolution poops out right when
> things get interesting,
> but that's basically a given with test equipment,
> right??? 
> 
> For what it is worth, the oxide layer seems very
> disordered. Can
> you polish a surface before you oxidize?
> 
> K.
> 
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