Atty Cleaning: Metal Reactivity Method

[callousparade]

Here we go, this is a tad technical for the first couple of sentences but i'll do my best to explain.

Metals can be ordered into a reactivity series by how easily they react with other elements (Reactivity series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). Nichrome is a nickel-chromium alloy with a relatively low reactivity. But as we all know it oxidizes fairly well in your atty (sped up by the intense heat) and your atty slowly turns to nickel chromite.

BUT aluminum is higher on the series than nickel and chromium and is therefore a much better oxidizer in the presence of acid.

Theoretically you should be able to make an acidic solution (not extremely acidic just like lemon juice acidic) roll up some aluminum foil, jam it in your atty (make sure not to break anything but that the aluminum is touching as much of the nichrome as possible), put it in the lemon juice completely submerged and then let it sit.

The oxygen attached to the chromium in your atomizer is more stable when bonded to aluminum and will slowly leach into the foil, leaving the nichrome oxide free.



Like i said, that is theoretical and I haven't tried it yet so I don't know how long you'd need to let it sit, i'd think no longer than an hour depending on how much surface area of the nichrome is actually in contact with the aluminum. I'm heading out soon to grab some foil and some lemon juice to try.



I thought of this while reading how to remove silver tarnish and a bunch of people were suggesting the same thing, aluminum foil + weak acid + ring in a cup. The aluminum pulls off the silver sulfate bonded to the silver that makes it look discolored.

Also, I've heard people yelling back and forth about whether or not the coke cleaning method works. This could very well be the reason why it does for some. I'm betting the people it worked for did it in a metal pan and used the coke acted as the acidic solution to let the oxide plate out of the atty.

[Scottes]

Why the weak acid? Why not electrolytic? Just use aluminum for the anode?

Electrolytic Rust Removal aka Magic

[callousparade]

that's an even more fantastic idea, currently building a small scale version of what's on that site but using aluminum foil instead of aluminum rebar

[saldali]

If you read to the end, it speaks to applying a rust preventive immediately after cleaning. i.e. Apparently, once the crud is removed, the clean metal will start rusting quickly.
A drop of e-liquid perhaps?
Thoughts?

now vaping 7 mos. and thoroughly enjoying it.

[Arvidx]

So has anyone had success with this method? Is the buildup removeable in this manner?

[jj2]

An inquiring mind wants to know, any results yet?

[Kurt]

I'm impressed with the idea! And I think there may be something to this. But I am not optimistic that it will work in the times frames that would be convenient. You are trying to get this reaction to go:

CrO3-2 + Al(s) ---> Al2O3 + Cr(s)

The chromium is what ends up with the oxygens in your description of oxidation, not the Ni, which just loses 2 e- to for Ni2+. So you have to reduce the Ni2+ AND get the O's from the Cr. True, chromite and chromate are generally reduced in an acidic environment, so this may help, but the kinetics (timeframe) for this reaction to be significantly effective, would be hopelessly slow, since you are having to break Cr-O bonds. I suspect this would work, but not at all quickly. Also, it would be likely you would not end up with Cr metal, but some partially reduced chromium oxide like CrO3 (s). BTW CrO3, for any painters out there, is the pigment in "chromium green", which looks something like patina copper green. Couldn't resist the trivial bit.

But, and I have not tried this yet, so don't know, it might be that muriatic acid (dilute HCl) might not be a bad last attempt (and I do mean LAST attempt) at resurrecting a corroded atty...but then I would be looking into why the atty corroded in the first place. I have no corrosion on any of my attys at all...although I do have a few cold ones.

I think it is kinda cool how obsessed we are with trying to make an $8 atty last forever. Very much part of my overall philosophy of waste not, want not.

[Arvidx]

So as a follow up question... Are we really trying to reduce oxidation or carbon buildup anyways? Its been an age since my Chem classes but i just thought of that.

[Kurt]

So as a follow up question... Are we really trying to reduce oxidation or carbon buildup anyways? Its been an age since my Chem classes but i just thought of that.

You have a valid question. Personally I think you are correct, that it is carbon/gunk buildup that is a bigger issue than oxidation. I myself do not see evidence of oxidation in my 510 attys. I get gunk up especially in and around the air holes. Seems to me a solvent more nonpolar than PGA or IPA might be in order...something like either or petroleum ether, which are unfortunately not easily available to the layman. If there was no residue that could not be washed off with hot water or PGA, I would be tempted to try some engine-part cleaning solvents...gasoline would probably leave a residue and taste, but it would certainly dissolve off a lot of the carbonaceous materials.

When the 510 attys are new and work at 100% they are awesome! But in my experience with them, they are finicky and prone to clogging, especially if the juice is even a touch on the thick side. That said, I still have some that are going on 3 months working.