Citation

Harrit NH, Farrer J, Jones SE, Ryan KR, Legge FM, Farnsworth D, Roberts G, Gourley JR, Larsen BR. Open Chem. Physics J. 2009; 2: 7-31.

Affiliation

Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA; S&J Scientific Co., Provo, UT, 84606, USA; 9/11 Working Group of Bloomington, Bloomington, IN 47401, USA; Logical Systems Consulting, Perth, Western Australia; Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA; International Center for 9/11 Studies, Dallas, TX 75231, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Bentham Science Publishers)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

We have discovered distinctive red/gray chips in all the samples we have studied of the dust produced by the destruction of the World Trade Center. Examination of four of these samples, collected from separate sites, is reported in this paper. These red/gray chips show marked similarities in all four samples. One sample was collected by a Manhattan resident about ten minutes after the collapse of the second WTC Tower, two the next day, and a fourth about a week later. The properties of these chips were analyzed using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The red material contains grains approximately 100 nm across which are largely iron oxide, while aluminum is contained in tiny plate-like structures. Separation of components using methyl ethyl ketone demonstrated that elemental aluminum is present. The iron oxide and aluminum are intimately mixed in the red material. When ignited in a DSC device the chips exhibit large but narrow exotherms occurring at approximately 430 °C, far below the normal ignition temperature for conventional thermite. Numerous iron-rich spheres are clearly observed in the residue following the ignition of these peculiar red/gray chips. The red portion of these chips is found to be an unreacted thermitic material and highly energetic.

SafetyLit Note: The editor-in-chief of this journal resigned upon the publication of this article even though she had rejected the manuscript (see: http://videnskab.dk/teknologi/chefredaktor-skrider-efter-kontroversiel-artikel-om-911 ). This article is the basis for some of the conspiracy theories concerning the New York World Trade Center attack.