How to Make Gel Fuel From AlcoholBy Eric Moll,
How to Make Gel Fuel From AlcoholGelled alcohol is a common fuel
used for small, portable stoves and heaters. It has the advantage
of being safer than liquid alcohol because it burns slower and
doesn't spill a pool of flaming liquid when tipped over
accidentally. It doesn't burn as hot as other portable cooking
fuels, however, so it won't boil water very quickly. Gelled alcohol
can be purchased under the brand names Sterno, Heat-It, Safe Heat,
Easy Heat, to name a few. It is also possible to make your own
gelled alcohol by mixing alcohol with calcium acetate
(C4H6CaO4)
Things You'll Need25 g Crushed chalk100 ml Vinegar30 ml Alcohol
(ethanol, methanol, or isopropyl)
InstructionsMake your own gelled alcohol
1Mix 25 g of calcium carbonate (chalk is a good source) with 100
ml of vinegar. Stir with spoon for 5 minutes, or until most of the
chalk is dissolved. If you are unable to weigh out the chalk
precisely, don't worry. Keep adding it until it won't dissolve
anymore. The excess will be filtered out. The acetic acid in the
vinegar (CH3CO2H) is reacting with the calcium carbonate (CaCO3) to
form carbon dioxide (CO2) and calcium acetate (C4H6CaO4) with
excess water (H2O) and chalk (CaCO3) left over.
2Filter the excess chalk using a funnel and coffee filter. Place
the funnel over a jar and put the filter paper inside. Pour your
solution through the funnel.
3Evaporate the excess water. Mark the level of the liquid in
your container. You want the final volume to be about half of that.
Place the jar in an oven on low heat, or out in the sun. You may
also evaporate all the water, but you will have to add more
later.
4Add 30ml alcohol to your solution. Do not stir the solution.
You should be able to see the gel forming. Once the gel is
completely formed, pour off any excess liquid fuel. If you
evaporated off all the water in the previous step, add 2 parts
water for each 1 part solid calcium acetate, then add the alcohol
to this solution.
Tips & WarningsIt will be difficult to transfer the gelled
alcohol fuel into a new container once the reaction has occurred,
so make sure you mix the alcohol and the calcium acetate solution
in the container you want to hold your fuel.
