Coil under electron microscope

[Alien Traveler]

First - a fresh kanthal coil, never worked (not a coil, really). Mostly clean, but some contamination visible.

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Now - a coil that worked for 20 days, 3 times it was dry burned (last time - before going under microscope).

I was disappointed to see that picture.So much dirt... If contamination consists of carbohydrates and/or hydrocarbons it should be removed removed completely by dry burning (converting to CO2 and H2O). Not so here. Sure I wanted to know what was in this stuff. So I used X-ray analysis.

We got a good chunk of Periodic Table here after all organic stuff was burnt out: calcium, phosphorus, silicon, magnesium, and sodium. Cr and Fe - from wire. Gold and palladium - from special coating I applied to coil before placing in under microscope. We have a lot of interesting stuff in our juices... I am not a chemist or dietologist, so I'd better refrain from any comments about whether it is healthy or not.
Now, how it looks:

Looks like poorly sintered ceramic
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Finally - about oxides on kanthal.
Spectrum or fresh wire:

And old wire:

These spectra show that aluminum oxide layer on new wire is thin and semitransparent for electrons, and oxide layer on old wire is much thicker.

 

[Liskrig]

This was so cool! Thank you for sharing...

Kind of scary (as are most things) when a well loved coil is looked at with this level of magnification.

 

[edyle]

calcium, phosphorus, silicon, magnesium, and sodium.

I'm surprised about the phosphorus; I guess it must be in the form for some phosphate salts, maybe calcium phosphate and others.

The thing about dry burning is it can burn off the hydrocarbons, but once your eliquid contains metals, those metals are going to end up forming salt compound residue on the coil.

Quenching probably gets rid of some of it

 

[dbrandt01]

This is beyond interesting to see. I've never seen this brought up before.

 

[englishmick]

That contamination on the surface almost looks like the surface layer laminating off. Or it could be something deposited on the surface by use. It also looks like it could be removed by brushing or pushing a wick through, or it could be hard and firmly attached. Maybe it's what's left after most of what was there previously was removed by the dry burning. In other words it raises a bunch of questions.

Whatever it is, thanks AT for opening the door on this. I sure would like to know more.

 

[Iffy]

Outstanding post!

I find electron microscope pics fascinating and somewhat 'scary'; especially insects.

Hope someone knowledgeable can provide a professional evaluation/vaping 'impact statement'!

Thanx, AT!

 

[Papillon61]

very interesting AT - thanks for sharig.

That contamination on the surface almost looks like the surface layer laminating off. Or it could be something deposited on the surface by use. It also looks like it could be removed by brushing or pushing a wick through, or it could be hard and firmly attached. Maybe it's what's left after most of what was there previously was removed by the dry burning. In other words it raises a bunch of questions.

I'm glad you mentiioned this. Whenever I dry burn a coil to rewick I can visually see some deposits there. I sometimes strum it with the points of my tweezers and blow hard on it. But very often I think I should put a wire brush to it.

 

[Tonkpils]

Very cool!

 

[englishmick]

very interesting AT - thanks for sharig.

I'm glad you mentiioned this. Whenever I dry burn a coil to rewick I can visually see some deposits there. I sometimes strum it with the points of my tweezers and blow hard on it. But very often I think I should put a wire brush to it.

If my coil is large enough I push a pipe cleaner through it, and use the pipe cleaner to rub the outside as well. I never looked closely though. next time I'll put a bright light on it and check with a magnifying glass. That stuff looks like it ought to be visible.

 

[State O' Flux]

very interesting AT - thanks for sharig.

I'm glad you mentiioned this. Whenever I dry burn a coil to rewick I can visually see some deposits there. I sometimes strum it with the points of my tweezers and blow hard on it. But very often I think I should put a wire brush to it.

For coils used with "coil gunk" creating juices, where in an RDA you have to re-wick every day or two... I use a very fine bronze bristle brush, for just that reason... to remove contaminates that dry burning alone - or the habit that some have of running a hot coil under cold water - have no real effect on.

 

[schatz]

I wonder what it would look like after ultrasonic cleaning, if this removes extra unknown substance. I usually ultrasonicly clean mine for 10 minutes after a dry burn and it looks very clean to the magnified eye.Or would this cause more damage to the structure of the metal?

 

[Susan~S]

More cool pictures @Alien Traveler! THANKS!!!

This is beyond interesting to see. I've never seen this brought up before.

Perhaps you missed @Alien Traveler's other cool thread: Cotton Under Electron Microscope

 

[KingOhms]

The insides of the second coil pic look super clean. Do we know any information about the build used to fire this coil? What did it read ohm's wise, wattage or voltage fired at ect?

 

[RavenZ]

The insides of the second coil pic look super clean. Do we know any information about the build used to fire this coil? What did it read ohm's wise, wattage or voltage fired at ect?

Good Question

 

[Alien Traveler]

I find electron microscope pics fascinating and somewhat 'scary'; especially insects.

Spider:

Yeast colony:

 

[caramel]

Very nice.

Also for some perspective: Analysis of Drinking Water and its Freshwater Source

(click on the pics to enlarge)

 

[Mooch]

Verrrry cool!
Thank you for posting those @Alien Traveler!

 

[Asbestos4004]

Dang...you beat me to it. I was just finishing up basically the same exact post,..same pics, same explanations, same conclusions. You did the same thing with the cotton.

Awesome post, thank you. Very interesting.

 

[Alien Traveler]

I'm surprised about the phosphorus; I guess it must be in the form for some phosphate salts, maybe calcium phosphate and others.

I believe you are right. As I see it now dry burning remove organic component and converts what remains in ceramic-like layer (consisting of oxides and salts).

Maybe it's what's left after most of what was there previously was removed by the dry burning. In other words it raises a bunch of questions.

Exactly. It is leftovers of dry burning.

The insides of the second coil pic look super clean. Do we know any information about the build used to fire this coil? What did it read ohm's wise, wattage or voltage fired at ect?

Yes, insides are cleaner: I dragged a wick through a coil before dry burning.
Coil: kanthal, 1 ohm, used in Kayfun V4 for 2 weeks at 9-11 W, 3 dry burns (when installed, after rewicking, before observation - we may consider it as a second rewiking). I use rather slightly flavored juice.

 

[philoshop]

Can we see a toothbrush? Even a brand new one?

Cool pics AT! Thanks for sharing!