You are not logged in.
when you oxidize ("burn") solid aluminum, it forms a layer of tough, unreactive aluminum oxide ("alumina") that adheres strongly to the surface. This coating won't burn nor come off, and it prevents more aluminum metal under it from oxidizing.
There's been some interesting work with aluminum alloys to try and prevent this effect for hydrogen generation ...
Generating hydrogen by pouring water onto an aluminum alloy
http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5402
... I wonder if it could be helpful here?
Fan of [url=http://www.red-oasis.com/]Red Oasis[/url]
Offline
What's generating the thrust, anyways? As you pointed out, the outputs are solid. High temperature oxygen exhaust?
Edit: aluminum wire 'yarn balls', GCN, loosely wound enough to provide lots of surface area.
There would still be gasses in the combustion chamber, which would expel the mostly-burned aluminum dust out the nozzle under pressure, I assume.
Wire balls would not be dense enough, you couldn't pack much into the rocket.
[i]"The power of accurate observation is often called cynicism by those that do not have it." - George Bernard Shaw[/i]
[i]The glass is at 50% of capacity[/i]
Offline
when you oxidize ("burn") solid aluminum, it forms a layer of tough, unreactive aluminum oxide ("alumina") that adheres strongly to the surface. This coating won't burn nor come off, and it prevents more aluminum metal under it from oxidizing.
There's been some interesting work with aluminum alloys to try and prevent this effect for hydrogen generation ...
Generating hydrogen by pouring water onto an aluminum alloy
http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5402... I wonder if it could be helpful here?
No. You would need Gallium or Mercury, neither of which are easily accessible on the Moon.
[i]"The power of accurate observation is often called cynicism by those that do not have it." - George Bernard Shaw[/i]
[i]The glass is at 50% of capacity[/i]
Offline