Lamp Black does not come from paper, if comes from the incomplet combustion of plastics, fat, or hydrocarbon (I'm sure there's other sources); Old news paper won't produce lamp black even when degassed in a retort is will only make charcoal.
Eckart is a pigment manufacturer so I'm guessing it's initial use was either pigments or pyro there's not that many use for a powder that fine.
As for the ratio, that depends on the paper (mostly the thickness of coating on the paper). But with out a stamp mill of a hammer mill you wont be able to acheive the 1-5 micron sizes needed.
bummer- ball mill won't do it, eh?
Ah, well. Perhaps a carbon coated Al will be good enough. Can you recommend a good starting amount for a paper/Al ratio to load into a retort? hmmm- what would be the best way to test the reactivity of powdered Al and compare it to a "Carbon black Al"?
---ah, yes- the dangers of blending foil- I've tried it, had no problems with amounts up to 50 grams at a time (heavier than that tended to strain the cheap blender motor). letting the dust settle before opening the blender seems to mitigate the hazard- along with a 15 meter extension cord, and a nearby fire extinguisher.
Edited by E-tech, 25 November 2008 - 07:40 PM.