Aluminiumamalgam

Aluminum amalgam is an alloy of aluminum with mercury. It arises when one brings aluminum with mercury to the reaction.

Properties

In contrast to aluminum can be formed on aluminum amalgam no protective oxide layer, so that aluminum amalgam is chemically very reactive. This is used to activate aluminum for certain reactions. To this end, this is usually not complete, but only superficially transformed into an aluminum amalgam. In air, aluminum amalgam forms long white thread-like aluminum (III ) oxide structures. On contact with water it decomposes.

Use

Aluminum amalgam is used as the reducing agent.

Since aircraft ( partly modern ships ) are made largely of aluminum, which can cause leaking mercury to the formation of aluminum amalgam and the destruction of the outer wall and structural damage. Therefore, the carrying of mercury and mercury salts is restricted or prohibited in aircraft. There are rumors that this was occasionally used during World War II for sabotage, which would basically works.