Thermite is a pyrotechnic composition of metal powder and metal oxide that undergoes an intense exothermic reduction-oxidation reaction when ignited, producing a burst of localized heat rather than an explosion. The chemist Hans Goldschmidt discovered the reaction in 1893 and patented the practical process, sometimes called the Goldschmidt process, in 1895; its first commercial application welded tram tracks in Essen, Germany, in 1899, and thermite welding remains the main civilian use today, particularly for joining railway tracks. Thermite mixtures also saw incendiary use in bombs and grenades by both German and Allied forces during the Second World War.
Facts
SignificanceUsed mainly for thermite welding, particularly of railway tracks, and also in metal refining, disabling munitions and incendiary weapons. 1 FAQs
When did thermite welding reach Britain?
A British patent came in 1902 and a London rail welding demonstration in 1905.
Grace's Guide records that the process of casting metals called thermit was patented in the UK on behalf of Hans Goldschmidt and Walter Mathesius of Essen in 1902. Thermit Ltd of London was established in 1904, and in 1905 it demonstrated the welding of rails using the alumino-ferric process.
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Source Thermite, Wikipedia
Sources
1. Thermite, Wikipedia
History
The thermite (German: Thermit) reaction was discovered in 1893 and filed for patent in 1895 by German chemist Hans Goldschmidt.
Lead section, paragraph 3
Today, thermite is used mainly for thermite welding, particularly for welding together railway tracks.
In Field: Metallurgical Engineering, Categories
Welding
In Group: Non-Ferrous Extraction and Refining, Introduction
Thermite () is a pyrotechnic composition of metal powder and metal oxide.
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