metal mesh

[vipervma]

I have been rebuilding my old atomizers for a couple months now and I have run into one problem. Does anyone know what the material is that they use to wrap the ceramic cup in and where a person could get it. It is like a metal mesh and I have taken several searchs but am not sure of the material. Any help or advise would be appreciated and if this is posted in the wrong area I am sorry.

 

[bockafer]

I would also like a source of the metal wick material. A few of the regulars in this section seem to have connections with some of the suppliers and might be able to inquire for us.

 

[crashtestjeep]

try asking Nerf.....Im sure he could probly help.

 

[Tom09]

The mesh material is known as “foam nickel” or “nickel foam” (confirmed by chemical analysis in this thread).

Nickel foam is mass-produced for the battery industry. For application in an e-cig atomizer, you'd like to have this material in highest purity. Highest purity is achieved when the foam is made by the so called CVD production method. Among world's leading manufacturer of nickel materials is Vale Inco, so one should try to get hands on their Incofoam.

Main problem might well be to find this (or some similar) industrial material in very small quantities. Perhaps, you could inquire about distributors starting at the mentioned nickel foam manufacturer web page.

 

[bockafer]

Main problem might well be to find this (or some similar) industrial material in very small quantities.

Yeah, that's why I was hoping someone with an established relationship with some of the
e-cig companies in china might be able to chime in and help source this.

 

[rickou812]

Have we found a source for this yet? or at least a comparable replacement?

 

[mudmanc4]

Bump......... anyone ?

 

[SethG]

How about an alternative, anyone thought about stainless steel wool? Is there such a thing as "food grade" stainless steel? Stainless steel wool is mainly used in re-packing exhaust "glass packs" so its probably not going to be very pure...

 

[MaxUT]

Stainless steel cookware and flatware is typically made of 18-8 alloy, otherwise known as type 304. There's nothing special about it, it's just common stainless steel.

I suggest type 316 stainless steel wool; it's more resistant to heat and corrosion.

McMaster-Carr

Just soak it in hot water and detergent to remove any processing residue and rinse it well in distilled water.

 

[sjohnson]

I wonder how that SS wool would work for a cartridge filler? No burning, no rusting, nothing bad would come out of it if your atomizer stuck in the "on" position, it wouldn't even melt at atomizer temperatures.

 

[Fairlane64]

I work for a company that uses many different types of metals to make products, and I've got to agree, go for the 316 if your going to try stainless steel, it has an alloy addition of molybdenum to help its corrosion resistance. It's also sometimes called "marine grade" by metal vendors in the boat industry because it has better salt corrosion resistance over 304.

 

[HippyGirl]

Could the "Rustless Metal Gauze" at McMaster-Carr be used as a replacement for the nickle foam?

 

[WillyB]

I have been rebuilding my old atomizers for a couple months now and I have run into one problem. Does anyone know what the material is that they use to wrap the ceramic cup in and where a person could get it. It is like a metal mesh and I have taken several searchs but am not sure of the material. Any help or advise would be appreciated and if this is posted in the wrong area I am sorry.

Why not try moving in a different direction?

Here's what a GreenCig cartomizer uses for wicking, and it works extremely well. It just lays into the juice cart you see on the left.

You could probably use something like this. Be creative.

AVSil Silica Rope

 

[skywalk]

do you think aluminium mesh would work? i'm thinking the wire mesh you can get a dish washing scrubs

 

[Quit4myKids]

I've been using silica braid with good results. Fireproof, and excellent wicking properties, even when heated up. In fact, right now I'm using silica braid in the ceramic heater atomizer I've been experimenting with in another thread. I'm using a spacer along the side of the atty tube for improved airflow since it doesn't pass air easily when it's saturated, but a less dense packing would probably address that.

Also, I've packed my BE112 (801) atty 2/3 full with a 3/8" silica braid (along with the airflow spacer), and pressed a pipe screen in to hold it down to the bridge. I drip about 20 drops directly into the screen, and vape for about as long as any cart has ever lasted. I also haven't burned an atty yet with this method, since the coil stays nice and wet the entire time.

Just my $.02,

Quit4myKids

 

[nicotime]

I still dont quite understand the purpose of the nickel foam anyway. If its for an insulating spacer why didn't they just use ceramic disc with holes to center the cup and wick? If its for wicking why wick fluid to the sides of the atty?

 

[nicotime]

I wonder if the honeycombed substrate of an "unused" catalytic converter could be used for attys?

 

[southjerseydeedee]

I researched this wire mesh for you and found lots and lots of info on "Alibaba dot com" appy hunting my friend.

 

[slade420]

id like to suggest a aluminum oxide ceramic air stone for a aquarium. you can get one that with the measurements, 30mm x 15mm cylindrical shaped. about the width of an E-cig, no?
another thing about the air stone is its made at 1300 degrees C and the aluminum oxide makes it very strong and hard, used in superconductors and microheaters. the porous air stone makes it act like a wick, when the ceramic heats up it will pull liquid through the holes, approx: 200 microns. connected to it is a air tube, this can be used to draw in air, or liquid into the porous air stone. you might be able to use the air tube as a atty, and the ceramic part would act as a wick + cart... i think. i dont have the parts to test it. heating the pipe that goes into the ceramic will also pull liquid out of the ceramic wick/stone. then a a pipe screen can be used to drip liquid in and make sure the stone doesnt move.
Microheaters are small high power heaters with precise control, that can offer temperatures in excess of 1000C, even up to 1900C

With an increase in usable temperature, microheaters need to be supported or enclosed with very high thermal-resistant ceramic materials often made from small grain, high purity aluminum oxide.

aka the air stone.

 

[timmah34233]

slade420: Are you experimenting with the aluminum oxide ceramic? Interesting.

WillyB: Thanks for the info on GreenCig's method using silica fiber. Nice photos.

nicotime: What is that material in the catalytic converter? Also, I believe the purpose of the nickel foam is to provide an adsorbent for the propylene glycol-glycerin flavored nicotine solution that can be heated without decomposition so that the adsorbed liquid will go to the vapor phase. The small heater coil is encased in a tiny ceramic crucible that radiates the heat into the surrounding nickel metal foam.

I just got confirmation from Chen at Best ECig (Bestecig) on the atty metal in their products. He called it "special nickel" and said that the vapor does not carry any nickel metal.

My concern was deposition of nickel metal into the respiratory tract. I would like to know the analysis of the vapor from Bestecig style attys to test for the actual metal content.

Evidently, as far as I can tell so far, the material is what was stated here in ECF: nickel foam. This material bears high temperatures (1000 degC range), has good porosity for the adsorbent function, and is malleable. Maybe the last characteristic is advantageous for the manufacturing process, keeps the atty profile small.

If the bulk of attys on the market are being made in China, does this mean that nickel foam is the predominant design?

Our goal is the optimum atty, but one without health consequences - safe and effective. Timmah.