I don't expect to find thermite in the dust, but Oystein et al, what kinds of tests would convince YOU that thermite was in the dust, if the tests came up Positive?
I think that there is, in a sense, a real difficulty because materials characterisation, a bit like failure analysis or forensic metallurgy, relies upon building up a picture whereby many techniques can be used to do so.
For example in the Harrit et al paper a number of different clues suggest that the platelets are kaolin. (off the top of my head)
- Morphology (shape and size of particles)
- EDX spectra of red layer showing Si to Al peak height ratios being close
- EDX of individual platelike particles showing Si to Al peak height ratios as being close
- along with corresponding O peak
- The BSE image and corresponding XEDS element maps that show an excellent correlation between Si and Al strongly suggesting association.
Select only one of these in isolation and you can't really form any useful conclusion.
And that is only one part of the analysis yet that part is made up of smaller clues and cues.
We also have other data thanks to The Almond regarding monte carlo simulation of Laclade red joist primer paint containing aluminosilcates as per the specification that match the data in Harrit et al.
Whilst determining that no elemental Al is present i.e. it's bound to Si and/or O (or something else), will show that a thermite reaction cannot take place, I am hesitant to hang everything on a single test using a single method due to the nature of the material.
The sample is not homogeneous. There is a "gray" metallic layer that appears to be iron oxide (oxidised steel), the red layer comprising an unknown organic matrix/binder material, hexagonal plate-like structures (kaolin/aluminosilicates), rhombohedral Fe
2O
3 and other unknown particles. (No analysis was present on the organic matrix or other observable particles in the Harrit et al paper even though it may have been performed).
The sample is small
At approximately 2.5 mm in length, the chip in Fig. (2a) was one of the larger chips collected. The mass of this chip was approximately 0.7mg.
Page 10
and remember that this is the total weight of a chip not just the red layer nor just the platelets containing Al.
I have some concerns regarding the method.
- Cost. There's no point in suggesting methods that are prohibitively expensive.
- What method is appropriate given the nature of the sample and its size.
- What data can be obtained from the method.
- Whether that data will be conclusive.
I haven't included "what conclusive data will truthers (including Harrit/Jones/Farrer etc) accept which shows that the material is not thermite" because I don't think that is possible.*
There is no point in spending money on an inconclusive test, similarly there's no point in spending little cash on an inconclusive test.
* On the flip side, as per the above quote, "what test would convince me that thermite was present?" then I'd have to say that I don't know of a singular test that could show that this was thermite. A range of additional testing would have to be performed or samples of claimed thermitic material would have to be examined by several independent labs.
I have always said that if I thought that the material was thermite that I would not only say so, but back that up with analysis, sources (and reasoning that others could follow) just as I have done with regard to saying it's not thermite but paint. I have no problem with being wrong. It's happened before and it will happen again.
There are a number of reasons why I primarily suggest FTIR analysis although this doesn't rule out any other technique.
- Cost - should be cheap respectively.
- Widely used in (forensic) analysis of paint.
- Accommodates sample size and nature.
- Will determine nature of the organic material. (this has never been done to our knowledge and if the organic material is shown to be a material that is used in paint (specifically Laclade) then that is a strong indicator that the material is paint and it will be upto Harrit et al to show how this material is used in thermite, nano or otherwise.
- Should show the presence of Fe2O3, Kaolin, Strontium Chromate etc in the spectra.
- Uses a database of known materials and their IR spectra to determine compounds present.
- Usually non-destructive. (sample can be returned to the owner).
Whilst it won't, as far as I'm aware, show "elemental" Al, I think that FTIR will strengthen beyond reasonable doubt that the material is paint and that it is a test that a lab can perform and give a conclusive result. The ball will then be back in the truther's court so to speak.
I think that it is worthwhile sending any lab information on the type of sample they are expected to analyse. So size and shape, difference in observable composition (metallic [gray] and red layer) etc, rather than a "can you determine if this is thermite?" question. A simple optical photo with scale should suffice.
This maybe a question to pose in the scientific forum on JREF purely as a purely technical post because you never know if there's a lurker or poster that has another idea. More thought is required before that occurs though.