Re: americium 241

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Jim Lux by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net>

Which is one reason why thorium is added.  Probably more important reason is
that thoria (and other rare earth oxides) have very high melting points,
high luminosity (why it's used in lantern mantles), and very high electron
emission (why it's used in thoriated cathodes).  The first and last are
"good things" for arc welding electrodes.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2002 3:24 PM
Subject: Re: americium 241


> Original poster: "Randy by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<randy-at-gte-dot-net>
>
> At 12:14 PM 1/6/02 -0700, you wrote:
> >Original poster: "Jim Lux by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
> ><jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net>
> >
> >Radioactive sources do work nicely with spark gaps to reduce the jitter
and
> >stabilize the firing voltage. I don't know about how important this is
for
> >TCs.  The traditional thing is something like Co60, a nice hefty gamma
> >emitter, or Ra, which you might be able to scrounge from old luminescent
> >dial paint.
>
> Hmmmm... instead of Tungsten electrodes.....THORIATED Tungsten..... now,
if
> you can
> just find some threaded 1/4" thoriated tungsten rod...
>
> Randy
>
>
>