"ceramic" wicks?

[j4mmin42]

Check this out:

Wick - Nextel Braided Ceramic -6" - DiscountVapers.com

Has anyone used something like this before?? If it works the way I'm thinking it would, it might allow for some builds that are quite different from the type we're used to seeing...

While it is braided and not ceramic wafers or slabs, traditional vaporizers (I.e. the ones used for organic materials) utilize ceramic-surround heating elements. Granted, they are much more powerful, but the "coils" in them last indefinitely- years at least, and I've seen a few that are over a decade old. Mine is just pushing 5 years this year and still going strong. So, it stands to reason that with appropriate materials, we can at least extend the life of our comparatively-smaller units, while possibly vaping on safer equipment at the same time.

Any thoughts?

 

[juicefreak]

still looks like it has a host of other properties in it. my first ecig that was a total piece of crap was an M-401 that had a ceramic wick under the coil. i still have a few of them that i may cannibilize and see if the wick is any good in a better device

 

[BJ43]

Look up mwa threads, he is the expert on ceramic wicks...

 

[anavidfan]

I found this, and I wonder it seems the same and real cheap, but is it safe?
Nextel Braided Ceramic Very High Temperature Sleeving

 

[j4mmin42]

That is the same stuff. Interestingly, they're attempting to keep it from being duplicated by foreign companies by telling you not to export the stuff-lol. I doubt that will work for them, the way some of the chinese manufacturers operate.

Anyway, a hollow, flexible ceramic tube- it just seems so intriguing. As soon as DV has some more, I'm going to grab a length of it and see what it can do, and what it can't do.

 

[BJ43]

I found this, and I wonder it seems the same and real cheap, but is it safe?
Nextel Braided Ceramic Very High Temperature Sleeving

XC-116 , this has been used for years, just search the threads.

 

[j4mmin42]

XC-116 , this has been used for years, just search the threads.

Just because something has been around for years doesn't always mean it has found it's proper place in the scene- I think this stuff might have some potential, but I won't know unless I actually get my hands on a bit of it. The past few years has seen drastic improvements and changes in coil and device design.

Also, a quick note- searching through hundreds or thousands of pages is not very realistic, so if you have a specific page(s) you would like to reference, could you please do so? I will admit that I did find some info after your first post in this thread, but I would appreciate any further leads. Thanks.

 

[anavidfan]

I found this, it seems like a great deal, but 100 ft might get it, even though I cant see how I will ever use a 100 ft. Discount vapers sells 6" for 4 dollars. They use this same wick on the site that sells the Ody stuff and at the site that sells the russian Kayfun.
Omega XC-116 1/16" High Temp Sleeving 100 foot roll -- 3M Nextel 312 -- **NEW** | eBay
Im really bad at math, but I think its a better deal

 

[Lance_Wallen]

I don't htink this is going to be any safer than any other silica wicks to be honest. The primary danger associated with glass fiber or silica wicking isn't so much the chemicals as it is the fear of mesothelioma or pulmonary fibrosis. Both are caused by tiny particles of 'stuff' in the lungs that has a high biopersistance (i.e. its hard for your body to break down and get rid of it.

Basically you inhale small particles of a substance and your body has a few ways of dealing with it. It can break it down and get rid of it through normal bodily functions, it can try to expel it, or if it can't do any of those things it encapsulates it to keep it safe.

Inhaling silica or ceramic fibers can cause damage to the soft tissue in the lungs which causes scarring, this reduces the lungs ability to absorb oxygen. That's the really simplified version of pulmonary fibrosis. The formation of pockets around the small fibers and particles which the body forms to protect itself from materials it can't break down (read: high biopersistance) is the possible cause for mesothelioma (bad cancer) because it causes an abnormal growth of tissue which in turn, makes for bad juju and you die.

Silica and ceramics aren't the same crystaline structure as asbestos, the big scarey insulator. Most silica and ceramic fibers fracture longitudinally into thinner and thinner fibers which actually lowers their biopersistance but lodging of the fibers in the lungs still poses a high risk for both of the conditions I've mentioned here, significant enough that it's worth being concerned about inhaling them given how much some of us vape. You're essentially sucking on a potential source of lung damaging fibers. That is the primary drive, though a lot of people don't recognize is, for moving to stainless steel wicking or the complete removal of wicks.

The above product is just another form of silica fiber and I can't find enough details on it to make any assumptions that it has safer properties than fiberglass, or any other silica fiber. It should be treated like silica rope for all intents and purposes. It may be more durable but ultimately it's still goign to fracture, you're still going to inhale it, and that's still going to be a possible risk.

I personally won't trade one cancer for another cancer, so I'm working towards mastering hte SS wick and it's various uses.

 

[j4mmin42]

I use SS right now- the only reason I'm interested in ceramics is to increase atomizer longevity- NOT as a wicking material...even though I know that's what it's been used for in the past.

I gave up on silica after becoming familiar with it after doing a bunch of rebuilds- it is very fragile stuff. silicosis is not mesothelioma, nor is it cancer...but it is life-threatening at times, and hurting our lungs is not a great idea.

Also, obtaining a piece of this stuff should tell you whether or not it will be as dangerous as silica is- if it is obviously stranded and vulnerable to fraying, then it is not really acceptable as a wicking replacement- it still might work, though, in the way that I'm thinking it would. I wish I could be more specific (but i can't, yet)...

 

[rotohammer]

Ceramic wicks are Aluminum Boron and Silicon
Asbestos is Magnesium, Iron and/or Sodium and Silicon

The point is all Silicon based wicks are silica. If the fibers can't be broken down in the lungs, then theres a health hazard. That's assuming they do break off our wicks and become inhaled to the right point in the lung.

A related issue is the implantation of glass ampule RFID chips in your hand (I want one!). The body forms a mass around it that usually becomes cancerous.

 

[j4mmin42]

"Cancerous" denotes malignancy; Benign growth? sure. Possibly dangerous? of course it could be. But be careful throwing around the word "cancer" where it does not belong.

 

[j4mmin42]

Also, exposure to asbestos causes asbestosis, otherwise referred to as Mesothelioma; Mesothelioma is a type of cancer. Exposure to Silica induces Silicosis, which is a benign condition (not cancer). It can be serious, but if treated it is not as dangerous as mesothelioma.

 

[j4mmin42]

Ceramic wicks are Aluminum Boron and Silicon
Asbestos is Magnesium, Iron and/or Sodium and Silicon

The point is all Silicon based wicks are silica. If the fibers can't be broken down in the lungs, then theres a health hazard. That's assuming they do break off our wicks and become inhaled to the right point in the lung.

A related issue is the implantation of glass ampule RFID chips in your hand (I want one!). The body forms a mass around it that usually becomes cancerous.

And another thing: saying "all compounds with silicon in them are Silica" is like saying "all compounds with Hydrogen in them are water"...well, what about H2O2? How about NaOH?

Edited: for being an ......- sorry A stable ceramic compound will 99.9% likely act *nothing* like asbestos when in contact with human tissue- have you ever seen dentures? they used to be made of ceramics. There are in fact many chemical compounds that we use every day which contain otherwise dangerous elements on their own, but in a compound are relatively harmless. I won't be able to comment on the ceramic tubing in question in this thread until it is in my hands.

 

[rotohammer]

And another thing: saying "all compounds with silicon in them are Silica" is like saying "all compounds with Hydrogen in them are water"...well, what about H2O2? How about NaOH?

Of course, that's why I specified "wicks" in my statement.

Edited: for being an ......- sorry .

No worries, I can take it

Point taken about the componds we use every day. The only difference is that we are talking about silica fibers in the lung vs drinking coffee out of a ceramic cup while wearing dentures. I intentionally try to be precise in my statements so that I don't get ripped apart for over generalizing.

But hey, we're still having fun right?


PS: A little back story on me: I worked in an insulation plant that produced products containing asbestos & fiberglass. I've see a lot of good men die. So that's why I may be a little over cautious. But, I have to say, these guys inhaled massive quantities of dust over 20 years. Our wicks are nothing in comparison. But if it only takes one fiber...

 

[Jimi D.]

I'm curious if that sleeve will actually wick. My only guess is to slip it over a SS mesh wick.

 

[BJ43]

I'm curious if that sleeve will actually wick. My only guess is to slip it over a SS mesh wick.

Yes it will wick and when I said it had been used for years, I meant here by ECF members and there are hundreds of threads. Here is one.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/gg/210644-xc-116-nextel-330-heat-treatment-experiment-10.html

 

[Jimi D.]

3M Ceramic Textiles & Composites - Nextel(tm) Woven Fabric 550, 610, 720 Hey BJ, Would this work as well?

 

[rotohammer]

My searches seem to indicate 3M is the only manufacturer of the Nextel ceramic wick, and everone else is a distributor.

 

[Jimi D.]

What I was referring to, was the fabric vs. the sleeve.