Heating Zn from Alkaline battery

[painkiller]

Hi all !

this is my first post here...i am a hobbyist from Greece and i just discovered this forum.

 

for experimenting purposes i tried to melt Zn extracted from an alkaline battery.

I had read in wikipedia that Zn melting point is abou 420 degrees Celsium so i heated Zn with a MAPP blow torch that i have but instead of melting it turned more solid and it took a pale yellow color !?

 

Does anyone know why so ?

 

Thanks in advance

[kanzure]

Hey, interesting. I am new to metal casting and playing with metals, so I am just going to help you out by linking to some resources that I have found. You may have added heat to the zinc as well as nearby air, so you might be unknowingly oxidizing the material sample. The zinc article at Wikipedia hints that you might be using the zinc oxide "American production" method. Oops? Just something you should check into.

 

Some resources on copper melting

Google bomb - "zinc furnace"- you might be the first guy to discuss this on the WWW

DIY pattern making and casting (slanted towards motorcyclists)

How to Cast Small Metal and Rubber Parts (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

Making your own materials for making your own molds

A trip to Radnor forge

Fun with molten metal

How to make a small gas furnace (I know, irrelevant, but it was still one of my many search results.)

DIY waterblock casting thread

Home metalcasting etc.

Home bronzecasting foundry

 

And finally, there's a list of zinc-related references here.

 

- Bryan

[painkiller]

Thanks for the tips and the resources man.

 

You me be right and my Zn have turned into a Zinc oxide crystal structure like zincite

 

Maybe i heated it too much... MAPP blow torch flame can reach 1300 C