Dr. Jones and Dr. Harrit et al discovered properties which represented significant proof that the red chips could not possibly be primer paint.
Steel primer paint is not expected to ignite at 430 C and leave a residue containing iron-rich spheres.
MM
Not expected by whom? And why?
What is expected instead?
Regarding the 430°C: Is there any other (higher or lower) temperature where steel primer is expected to ignite, and if so what is that temperature?
Or is there no temperature at which any steel primer will ignite?
Regarding the residue containing iron-rich spheres:
Do you understand that the red layers of the chips are mostly organic matrix which will largeky disintegrate to volatile things like CO2 and water?
Do you understand that of the other materials, iron oxide dominates as the gray layer is almost entirely iron oxide, and the red layers contains significant iron oxide?
If you have understood these simple facts, please tell us what you woukd expect about the residue:
Would the redisue be poor or rich in iron, given that the non-volatile portion of the chips is dominated by iron oxide?
Which shape would the residues assume after cooling? Cubic? Tetrahedic? Or more spheric? Or do minerals, when they react chemically with heat, generally retain whatever shape they had? Please give reasons for your expectations!
While you are thinking about supporting your claim or retracting it, you might be interested in the fact that Steven E. Jones has long maintained the opinion that
thermite can't ignite at as low as 430°C, which kind of refutes the hypothesis that these chips are some kind of thermite:
SE Jones said:
It is important to note that initiating the thermite reaction requires temperatures well above those achieved by burning jet fuel or office materials
And please note that Harrit e.al. (2009) have cited data on real nano-thermite that shows that nano-thermite does not ignite below 500°C and is thus not expected to ignite at 430°C:
(Fig. 29 of Harrit e.al.: "Active Thermitic Material...")
So since the chips are demonstrably (using data and quotes by Harrit, Jones and friends
only) not thermite of any kind, and if, as you claim, they are not paint, what are they? Do you have any constructive ideas?
) Let me remind that Sunstealer thinks that gray layers are basically "micaceous iron oxide" and this stuff can be magnetic, see here or here (micaceous iron oxide seems to be obtained by "magnetic separation" in the second link). But I am fully aware that no generalizations or "cherry-picking" of links could be recommended in this "metallurgic matter".
Just note: in Bentham chips (a) to (d), not only tiny particles of iron oxide were present, but also substantially larger particles containing Al, Si and O were found; I think that these Si-Al-O particles mostly contributed to the roughness/gloss of the paint layer, not iron oxide stuff.
I am no metallurgist.
