Quote from: Richie Crouch on September 05, 2015, 07:42:19 am Those little dense beta blocks Does Dense make them?
Those little dense beta blocks
So not much, but enough for me to buy it again.
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/frictionlabs-chalk-lots-of-false-statements-in-their-website-i-would-not-trust-them/111741582
Interesting! EDX may not pick up drying agents such as silica gels which may not be evenly distributed throughout a sample. Best run it through XRD to be sure... although I am sceptical that friction is anything other than snake oil for the vertical generation.
Fiction Labs..Is a 'scanning electron microscope (with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy)' a technical name for 'bullshit detector'?I want one!
Instead of scanning a small square section in the sample like the SEM does, XRD would analyse a larger sample size wouldn't it?
Quote from: andy_e on April 02, 2016, 10:14:04 amInstead of scanning a small square section in the sample like the SEM does, XRD would analyse a larger sample size wouldn't it?I presume AndyR may be alluding to the fact that a XRD is used to study crystalline structures (need a periodic nature to the sample) but a quick google says silica gel is amorphous. That said, another quick google makes it look like it does give some signal in XRD.
The take-away seems to be that, in theory, the best chalk for moisture absorption is magnesium carbonate and this can be purchased in bulk and baked in your oven at home to eliminate moisture held within the crystals. Hey presto instant Pixie Dust, just add marketing hype.Anyone done this?