Molding Question

[Deadguy]

There's a partial method availible online that claims you can melt a sulphur and graphite mix to make "Sulpho Plastic". It's all over the internet, but there's no examples of it being used, and there are specifics that aren't given in the instuctions provided. It's intriging in terms of apparent cost and set-up time.

I'd provide a paste of the instructions, or a link, but I suspect this stuff is dangerous to work with, and has absolutely no suggestions of safety precautions.. Long and short, it's "scary" in terms of being possibly entirely fake, and/or dangerous to an unknown degree.

I just want to know if anyone has hands-on experience with this stuff. Please don't paste the directions in here, just say if you've ever used it before.

Thanks.

BTW- why are there so many threads in the "Molded Armor" section that doesn't use molds? Aren't the paper-based suits supposed to be over in the pep armor section, or am I misunderstanding this section name?

 

[drgon47]

that does indeed sound dangerous.....id stay away from melting sulphur o.0

 

[23Magnum]

I noticed the instructions/description of this method was practically the same, and nearly word for word no matter where I looked online. This sort of tells me that this might be an elaborate hoax based on some small amount of truth. Why do I say a small amount of truth?

Read this paragraph linked here at wiki. Last couple sentences talk about using graphite and sulphur in early pencil production. Doesn't really go into detail about it, but if it's true then graphite and sulphur probably do work under some circumstances.

I tried looking up graphite and sulphur as topics to see if there was any relationship there, but nothing found so far.

 

[izzysenyrc]

Sulphar is very dangerious.... The gasses and fumes can kill you

 

[NZTK]

Hmmm that is strange, every site that mentions it has the exact same text cut and paste as Magnum says. I dont think this would work in a silicon mould but, Ive never tried it so I don't know, perhaps the graphite molecules would stop the sulfur attacking the silicone molecule chain? I'm no chemist.

 

[Keegan]

BTW- why are there so many threads in the "Molded Armor" section that doesn't use molds? Aren't the paper-based suits supposed to be over in the pep armor section, or am I misunderstanding this section name?

Pepakura is the base of a master helmet, which if in the molded section, eventually gets molded.

 

[Loess]

I'm not a materials engineer, but the materials classes I took in school make me suspect that this is fake. I wouldn't completely rule out casting something with sulfur, but this seems more likely to burn your face off and ruin your molds than make anything useful. Other articles I found mentioned sulfur-graphite composites, but I suspect that the process is a little bit more involved.

 

[Deadguy]

Oh well.. Thanks ya'll.. I THOUGHT it seemed a little too good to be true.

I found a little bit of it to be true though.. in terms of what happens when you overcook sulfur.. the viscosity increases, which makes that "hard rubbery" thing that the articles described. That's unusual.

Also there's a wikipedia entry for sulfur that describes a plastic you can make from sulfur by cooling it rapidly. Perhaps the graphite addition does that... Also a catalyst can be used to have it recrystallize in a matter of hours.

It does note that sulpho plastic would be flammable, which is also true of the element. They talk about heating over an open flame (through using a sand bath), but wouldn't it explode into flame if you did that?

If it's a hoax, they did their homework.

I suspect the article was written as secondhand subject knowledge.. (ie- hey, what's that made out of?.. It's ## graphite and ## part Sulfer.. sweet, I'll have to write that down.)

Here's something I just found that 100% puts an end to this pursuit:

"Because of the sulfur dioxide produced during the process of melting sulfur, the craft of sulfur inlays was soon abandoned"

"According to Claude Ribbe in The Crime of Napoleon, sulfur dioxide gas was used as an execution poison by the French emperor to suppress a slave revolt in Haiti early in the 19th century" (wikipedia Sulfur Dioxide entry)

Yeah.. umm.. Oops, sorry folks..

"Sulfur dioxide acts as an acid. Inhalation results in labored breathing, coughing, and/or a sore throat and may cause permanent pulmonary damage. When mixed with water and contacted by skin, frostbite may occur. When it makes contact with eyes, redness and pain will occur."

 

[FinnishSpartan]

"Sulfur dioxide acts as an acid. Inhalation results in labored breathing, coughing, and/or a sore throat and may cause permanent pulmonary damage. When mixed with water and contacted by skin, frostbite may occur. When it makes contact with eyes, redness and pain will occur."

I have always known this, it's not really anything new... they teach it in 3rd grade chemistry.
But, I wonder...

contact with eyes, redness and pain will occur.

i wonder who was the guy who tested this xD

-Finish

 

[Deadguy]

Wow.. chemistry in 3rd grade?

I would imagine they'd have lots of test data from when it was used as a "death poison".. not to mention it's a gas, and the eyes are most likely to be what get's contact in a situation like this, because everyone's worried about breathing it more than they worry about it touching their eyes.

 

[Ral Partha]

Wow.. chemistry in 3rd grade?

He probably meant 3rd grade science or physical science class.

 

[Sigma LS]

Yeah SO2 + H2O = Sulfuric acid

Oh well better than H2S gas I guess (sometimes called sour gas, nasty stuff). There is a way to melt and entrain the native pure sulfur with superheated steam. That's how they mine it and pump it out of the caprock area in West Texas. Then they put it into these big metal molds to cool and solidify. I got a chunk around my apartment somewhere, I'll see if I can't get a pic.

 

[jimmyfu]

He probably meant 3rd grade science or physical science class.

dude wtf? all i ever learned in 3rd grade was how to dissect a cow's eye, how to make a volcano, and fake lava with vinegar and baking soda