Crystal Power CeLL by John Hutchison

[sutra]

Hi guys,
what you are achieving is pritty amazing....I'll start soon my experiments too...meanwhile have a look at this pages on how to make low temperature electro-conductive ceramics...it may help.

http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?wo=1999018031&IA=WO1999018031&DISPLAY=DESC

cheers

Sutra

this is what they claim:

ELECTRO CONDUCTIVE CERAMIC COMPOSITION Normal ceramics based on aluminum oxide, silicon, dioxide, various clays and other alumosilicates, i. e., standard types of ceramic materials, have a very high electric resistance and practically do not conduct an electric current.

Only special type ceramic materials such as carbides of titanium, tungsten, molybdene, gafnium and some other metals, nitrides or silicides of some metals, barium titanate and some other compositions have a relatively low electric resistance. For the production of carbides, silicides or nitrides of metals with a high melting temperature there are needed high temperature furnaces, a special gaseous atmosphere (without oxygen and some other gases), and in many cases high pressures and also special precautions.

Preparation of various technical parts from this type of electroconductive ceramic is also very complicated.

For this reason prices of electroconductive ceramics are high and the use of them is restricted and their use for simple applications such as heating and home applications is very limite.

SUBJECT OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to the production of electro-conductive ceramics by using a configuration of graphite or other high-carbon content materials, such as carbon black, coke, etc., with soluble silicates, sodium fluoro-silicates and fillers such as: quartz, powdered sand, clays, fly ashes, talc, aluminum oxide, mineral carbonates, cements, etc.

These compositions react after compacting and treatment at temperatures of between 50?C to 200?C to obtain high strength ceramic materials with an eiectric resistance of less than 0.1 ohm/cm2 and up to 2000 mega ohm/cm2 and higher. As additives for better electrical properties can be used metal oxides of zinc (ZnO), manganese (MnO2), copper (CuO), titanium (TiO2), iron (Fe203, FeO, Fe304), cobalt (CoO, C02,03), etc. For good mechanical properties to the composition, before pressing water of about 5%-10% (weight) can be advantageously added. Heat treatments have to be for a sufficient time for the reaction (several hours) to take place.

The following examples are illustrative only.

The preferred content of carbon containing materials is about 18 to 30 weight-%; the silicates are used at a concentration of from about 15 to 40 weight-%, preferably 20 to 30 weight-%.

The fluorosilicates are used in a quantity of from about 15 to 40 weight-%.

The fillers are used in a quantity of from about 15 to 50 weight-% in powdered form, and preferably at 20 to 40 weight-%.

The concentration of the metal oxides is about 6 to 40 weight-%, and preferably 15 to 30 weight-%. When additives are used, these are used in a quantity of up to about 2 weight-%.

Examples Example No. 1: 22g Bentonite-powder of 20-30 micron, 50g sodium metasilicate, pentahydrate, powder <40 micron, 25g graphite powder &lt;10 micron, 6g potassium fluorosilicate, powder 10-40 micron, 18g zinc oxide, powder <40 micron, are mixed, pressed and dried in an oven with gradual temperature increase from 402C to 110?C. After cooling a ceramic with electro conductivity of 20 ohm/cm2 was obtained.

Example No. 2: 30g albite powder, 20-50 micron; 60g sodium silicate octahydrate powder of 150 micron, 30 g. coke powder, <50 micron; 20 g. manganese dioxide, powder-<60 micron, 8g. sodium fluorosilicate, powder >40 micron, 0.3 g Dow- fax (nonionic, surface active), 60g water are mixed together, pressed and dried in an oven with a gradual temperature increase from 50?C to 120pic for 8 hours. After cooling a ceramic with electroconductivity of 120 ohm/cm2 was obtained.

Example No. 3: 30g talc powder-<30 micron; 40g fly ash powder <20 micron; 45g sodium silicate powder, >60 micron; 10g sodium lauryl sulphate; 6g sodium fluorosilican powder->60 micron, 30g carbon black powder, <20 micron, titanium dioxide powder <30 micron are mixed together, pressed and heated during 9 hours with gradual temperature increase from 60?C to 120?C.

After cooling a ceramic with 68 ohm/cm2 was obtained.

Generally, depending on the nature of the compounds used, the pressure was from 200 kg/cm2 to 900 kg/cm2, and preferably the pressure was 400-600 kg/cm2. The obtained ceramics are used for various heating applications, such as floor heating, home heating, heating of greenhouses, chicken coups and cow sheds, houses, industrial drying and heating, etc. from 0?C to 250'C.

The mechanical strength of novel ceramic materials is generally between about 80kg/cm2 to 400 kg/cm2, in most cases between 180-250 kg/cm2.

The conductivity can be varied from <0.01 ohm/cm2 to >20 megahm/cm2.

[Koen1]

Hey thanks for that link, Sutra.
I already knew of this type of ceramic, but I didn't have this url yet.
Thanks!

[ian middleton]

G'Day all,

@Sutra:  Thanks for the info, food for thought 

Should have 50gms of Gallium by the end of the week, so I can go ahead with the electrode prepping theory.
Quick update on the "pie". It was shorted for 72 hours. Instantly came back to 0.25V and rose to 0.415V after 3 hours. At this time the voltage is still increasing at about 0.002V per hour. I expect it to settle at around 0.5V by the end of the day.

@jeanna: As our cement expert  what do you think about Sutra's info?

Catch you all later.

Ian

[sutra]

Hi,
reading your experiences, I had an idea...
to align properly the platlets of conductor (I'm gonna try with graphite) I want to use finely powdered (I'm a gem cutter) hematite which has its Ne?l temperature just about 250?C (is the temperature which am antimagnetic material turn paramagnetic) using a strong magnetic field (a magnet) or a coil of conductor around the pipe during crystallisation...

Did you ever try to crystallize your cookies avoiding a wet method?

I'll try to mix pure quartz dust, borax, graphite and hematite or rust and bake all at 400?C and let slowly cool in a magnetic field.....I'll let you know if some come out....

I wonder...

Ciao 

[ian middleton]

Hi Sutra,

All our "cookies" (well mine at least) used the wet method, this is because they had to crystalize in an aqueous solution. ie all the binding ingredients are water soluble.

When you make your cell ( good choice of ingredients) please keep a record of the ratios used. There are a million and one different combinations we can use, you may just find the right one. Yes please keep us posted 

400C , what will you be using to achieve that temperature?

Kind regards
Ian