RSSDiamagnetic levitation
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Jun 5, 2006 10:35 PM
Science |
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Scitoys will sell you a kit with magnets and everything.
Digi -Key has some too, sold as heat sink interface material.
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Use a razor knife to split some thin sheets off the thicker block sold by Scitoys.
Also, no need to use large 1cm cube magnets. Instead cover a steel sheet with small disks, oriented in a NS checkerboard array, and the carbon will still float. Use a 2" wide magnet array with a 1/4" carbon sheet, and you've got a start on a maglev train demo.
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You can also use bismuth metal to allow diamagnetic levitation of a small magnet. Bismuth is cheap, easy to get, non-toxic and has a low melting point. You can cast it with a gas stove or propane torch. Bismuth is commonly sold as lead-free shot or fishing weights at "sporting goods" stores. Small quantities are usually available on eBay for about $5.
Here are some examples of levitation with bismuth.
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you can get One Piece of Pyrolytic Graphite for $3.50 @
http://www.scitoyscatalog.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=SC&Category_Code=M
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will a tin-bismuth alloy work? or must be a pure bismuth?
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I haven't tried tin-bismuth alloy-- Let us know if you do. It takes a steady hand with the pure stuff (or with graphite), and it won't get easier if there's less of it. On the other hand, it's easy to get tin-bismuth alloy from places like McMaster-Carr.
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There is a neat kit for 22 dollars (usd)I like it
http://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=LEV
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this is also a source.
http://www.dreamtime24.de/product_info.php/info/p4_Pyrolytisches-Graphit.html
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