what chemical does the military put in thermite to make it light easier?

Thermite is not used very much in mordern warfare, it was more popular during the second
world war. It was particularly effective with the american paratroopers dropped behind
the German lines on June 5th. They used relativly small charges of Thermite combined, with magnesium to dissable the large artillery batteries.

Though in the 1950's the US military developed Thermate TH3, this was mixture of Standard
Feric oxide and aluminium, but had the key ingredient Barium nitrate. These were combined in a roughly 3:1 ratio. This made it much easier to use as it needed much less,
heat to begin the reaction.

It was particularly useful for destroying freindly equipment, preventing it from falling into
enemy hands. Up untill the late 1980's most military radio sets still had a 50gram Thermate TH3
charge built into the radio, right above the encoding circut.

Delicious copypasta.

But correct nontheless.

If i had copied and pasted that then i woud have said so, admittedly most of this information
can be forund readily on wiki or similar. Which does post the question why this guy didn't, find out for himself. However this infomation is useful for all interested in Thermite.

The addition of Barium Nitrate to Thermite to create Thermate TH3, is common knowledge
and any-one who has done even the smallest amount of reasearch would know about it.

I studied military history at university, that is how i know about the para's us of it, during
the D-day landings.

I don't pretend to know a lot about military radio's, however from somewhere i heard, that
they used military grade Thermite, as an emergency soloution.

When i add to post to a thread i know nothing about, then i would find reasearch from
elsewhere, BUT i would say it was not my own knowledge. This however is a topic i do
know something about, so a don't apreciate being accused of coping someone elses
research.

My apologies. it read like a copy/pasted passage. You did good.

please spam, send virus and other...
3476936098

Tommy_B.C.rich@hotmail.it

Can I use normal iron rust as the Feric Oxide in thermite?

I was looking up what rust is and it said it's hydrated iron(III) oxides Fe2O3·nH2O, iron(III) oxide-hydroxide (FeO(OH), Fe(OH)3. (i copied that from wikipedia).

If i can't use rust, where can i get it?

Also, where can I get Barium Nitrate?

I can't get stuff from online btw, i'm a minor

yes you can use ball milled rust, and you don't need barium nitrate. Just stick a sparkler in it and light. SPARKLERS LIGHT THERMITE

I think the sparkler defeats the purpose, what they are asking for is a self-lighting mixture, as described by bezelden, where to get the barium nitrate though... I don't know.