Got a kg of sodium persulfate recently, which although expensive was an easier oxidizer to find (at an electronics store) then any nitrate or chlorate or perchlorate...

 

It was quite interesting, when put on a piece of paper, it made that paper burn extremely bright...(it decomposes below 451 F)

 

But what I really bought it for was trying to make a violent reaction with powdered aluminum....

 

This should have worked perfectly- the principal decomposition of persulfate is to donate a sulfate radical:

 

Na2S2O8 + Al > Na2SO4 + Al2(SO4)3

 

Of course in the heat of this reaction and excess aluminum, the sulfates should decompose into sulfides and oxygen, making the overall reaction

 

3Na2S2O8 + 18Al > 3Na2S + Al2S3 + 8Al2O3 + 9747 kj...

 

about twice as energetic as thermite by weight...

 

but after mixing sodium persulfate and aluminum in a 2:1 ratio by weight, which i was afraid was going to explode, did not ignite with a blowtorch (it should ignite much easier then thermite)... It almost looked like the aluminum started to melt or something...

 

oh yeah and theres no point to this thread...

 

I know aluminum can be oxidized by a nitrate, which makes me surprised that a persulfate could not do the job...

perhaps it's because of the almost impenetrable layer of Al2O3 that forms on aluminum?

yes thats why aluminum is so reactive yet corrosion proof...

but it somehow works in thermite compositions, i think ist either because its powdered or al gets vaporized...

 

But its alright i'll just have to try it again sometime