Ignition cherry

An ignition cherry is used to set the exothermic redox reaction in motion in aluminothermics or thermite reactions .

Scheme of a laboratory setup of the aluminothermic reaction. (1) Superplasticizer (2) reaction mixture (thermite mixture) (3) ignition cherry (4) fuse

The ignition cherry consists of a mixture of barium peroxide and magnesium , which is ignited with the help of a magnesium ribbon and briefly generates the very high temperature that is necessary to start the reaction.

The barium peroxide reacts with magnesium in a strongly exothermic manner to form barium oxide and magnesium oxide .

${\ displaystyle {\ ce {BaO2 + Mg -> BaO + MgO}}}$

Individual evidence

^ W. Strecker: Course of the analysis . In: Qualitative analysis on a preparative basis . Springer Berlin Heidelberg, Berlin, Heidelberg 1913, ISBN 978-3-662-23131-9 , pp. 150–176 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
↑ 4.4.13 Thermit reaction. Retrieved December 17, 2018 .

[1] W. Strecker: Course of the analysis . In: Qualitative analysis on a preparative basis . Springer Berlin Heidelberg, Berlin, Heidelberg 1913, ISBN 978-3-662-23131-9 , pp. 150–176 ( limited preview in Google Book search).

[2] 4.4.13 Thermit reaction. Retrieved December 17, 2018 .