Azhar Titu

On 3/5/2009 at 3:28 AM, DrDNA said:

What you have described seems to be 'Sterno' Canned Heat (even generic brands are called Sterno).

Sterno is made from ethanol, methanol, water and an oxide gelling agent

Methanol is only added to make it too toxic to drink (denature).

 

I found this about making your own..........

 

Make Your Own Gelled Alcohol Fuel - Canned Heat

Extreme do it yourselfers can make their own gelled fuel at home with by mixing alcohol and calcium acetate (C4H6CaO4).

The following instructions and measurements are from the Montville High School Science Departmental.

1. Add 25g of crushed chalk or egg shells (calcium carbonate-CaCO3) to 100ml of vinegar (water and acetic acid - CH3CO2H) and stir for about 5 minutes.

 

This should produce carbon dioxide (CO2), calcium acetate (C4H6CaO4) and water (H2O) plus leave you with some left over chalk (CaCO3). If you are guessing on how much chalk to add, just make sure that there is a little extra after 5 minutes of stirring.

 

2. Remove the excess chalk by filtering your mix through some filter paper (coffee filter or napkin can be used).

Set a funnel in a jar, place your filter in it and pour your suspension through it.

 

3. Mark the level of your solution in its container and allow your solution to evaporate off about half that volume to remove the excess water.

Place your solution in an oven set on low heat or place it out in the sun to dry. If you went to far - just add the missing water.

 

Note - if you like, you can dry out your solution completely and store the remaining dried calcium acetate for future use.

 

4. If your solution isn't already in the container you want your gel in, then pour it in there now.

 

5. Add 30ml of alcohol (ethanol, methanol, or isopropanol) to your solution and watch the gel form. Do not stir.

 

6. Once the reaction in complete, pour off any extra fuel.

 

 

 

 

http://zenstoves.net/Sterno.htm

Dear I have tried to make methanol gel but it is not proper way. It has other composition. Please share here for public learn.