Pyrophoric alloy whose primary components are cerium and iron
Spark trails from a cigarette lighter
Ferrocerium (also known in Europe as Auermetall) is a synthetic pyrophoric alloy of mischmetal (cerium, lanthanum, neodymium, other trace lanthanides and some iron – about 95% lanthanides and 5% iron) hardened by blending in oxides of iron and/or magnesium. When struck with a harder material, friction produces hot fragments that oxidize rapidly when exposed to the oxygen in the air, producing sparks that can reach temperatures of 3,315 °C (6,000 °F). The effect is due to the remarkably low ignition temperature of cerium, between 150 and 180 °C (302 and 356 °F).
Ferrocerium has many commercial applications, such as the ignition source for lighters, strikers for gas welding and cutting torches, deoxidization in metallurgy, and ferrocerium rods. Because of ferrocerium's ability to ignite in adverse conditions, rods of ferrocerium (also called ferro rods, spark rods, and flint-spark-lighters[1]) are commonly used as an emergency firelighting device in survival kits.[2] The ferrocerium is referred to as a "flint" in this case, as both are used in fire lighting. However, ferrocerium and natural flint have opposite mechanical operation.
^MacWelch, Tim. "The Best Spark Rods (And How To Use Them)". Retrieved October 6, 2022.
^Reinhardt, Klaus; Winkler, Herwig (2000). "Cerium Mischmetal, Cerium Alloys, and Cerium Compounds". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. John Wiley & Sons. doi:10.1002/14356007.a06_139. ISBN 3527306730.
Ferrocerium (also known in Europe as Auermetall) is a synthetic pyrophoric alloy of mischmetal (cerium, lanthanum, neodymium, other trace lanthanides...
these uses by different processes (the percussion cap), or materials (ferrocerium), "flint" has lent its name as generic term for a fire starter. The exact...
using wood generate their own fine tinder; today a pile of magnesium or ferrocerium shavings is common; and a moisture-resistant DIY tinder features cotton...
95% lanthanides and 5% iron. Its most common use is in the pyrophoric ferrocerium "flint" ignition device of many lighters and torches, although an alloy...
ignite and give off a great amount of heat and light. The development of ferrocerium (often misidentified as flint) by Carl Auer von Welsbach in 1903 has...
is an important part of catalytic converters. Cerium metal is used in ferrocerium lighters for its pyrophoric properties. Cerium-doped YAG phosphor is...
difficult to find. It is often used in conjunction with char cloth. ferrocerium A man-made metallic material that gives off a large number of hot sparks...
of arms of Serbia (uses fire striker symbols as charges) Fire piston Ferrocerium Order of the Golden Fleece (whose collar consists of firesteels linked...
include the sparking mechanisms in lighters and various toys, using ferrocerium; starting fires without matches, using a firesteel; the flintlock mechanism...
nearly unquenchable. Magnesium bars are sometimes sold with a length of ferrocerium cast into one edge. The gathering of tinder, and perhaps more importantly...
Welsbach, the inventor of the incandescent mantle and the lighter "flint" (ferrocerium) as Treibacher Chemische Werke. The company emploey approximately 900...
products. His work on rare-earth elements led to the development of the ferrocerium "flints" used in modern lighters, the gas mantle that brought light to...
struck on to it, using either the traditional flint and steel or a modern ferrocerium striker. This is then blown onto until the curls catch fire: the whole...
photograph Carl Auer von Welsbach (1858–1929), Austria – Gas mantle, ferrocerium Jonas Wenström (1855–1893), Sweden – three-phase electrical power George...
pre-industrial societies. Stones were later superseded by use of steel, ferrocerium and matches. For specialist purposes glass knives are still made and...
in 1946, based on the developed technology of cigarette lighters and ferrocerium flints. A spring-wound lamp with eight flints was suggested for emergency...
if they were a lighter flint, because some neodymium magnets contain ferrocerium. Magnet fishing – Searching in outdoor waters for ferromagnetic objects...
sharp 90 degree edges, the user can strike the spine edges against a ferrocerium rod to create sparks for fire starting purposes. If the knife has a strong...
the noise of an electric vacuum is unwelcome. Primitive fire making Ferrocerium, Match, Lighter Practiced as backup survival skills if advanced methods...
loss of function, and indeed many applications such as mischmetal and ferrocerium alloys involve variable mixes of several lanthanides, including small...
piston Fire plough Fire-saw Fire striker Flint Modern starters Blowtorch Ferrocerium Lighter Match Black Electric Other equipment Char cloth Chuckmuck Feather...
This Mora camping knife has a ferrocerium rod built into the handle, which can be scraped with the back of the knife blade to make sparks and ignite tinder...
kit: Small fire sources such as butane lighters, matches, tinder and ferrocerium rod or "life boat matches" and striker board; Signal devices (LED micro...
purchased by Baron Carl Auer von Welsbach (1858–1929), the inventor of ferrocerium (Auermetall). He developed the iron mill to a chemical plant, the later...
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