Influence of vaporization surface material

[tgvp]

Adjeu c't'équipe! (Hi folks)

There is a mystery I would like to solve about the surface material effect on vaporization. By vaporization surface, I mean the banger/insert/pearls made of quartz/ruby/sapphire/titanium/stainless steel/silicon carbid. I've read on various topics around here that many people claim that the choice of material affect the taste of our favourite vegetable vapor. I haven't had the occasion to try it by myself, except for terp pearls (but I have no idea if my pearls are just red or green colored quartz or real synthetic gems), but didn't notice any major difference between materials. Oh... And silicon obviously smells, even when not heated, so it isn't considered in this question.

Except for the difference in heat transfer speed, I don't understand how it could affect the taste. Unless you're using a material that is chemically affected at vaporization temperatures (which would probably be quite dangerous), what effect on the process do they have?

This question also covers the goal of having metal free airpath? Why would stainless steel affect the taste? Some people claim that it provokes throat soars but once again, it's supposed to be an inert material, so maybe a "cleaning" problem? I.e. there is some plant material trapped on the SS screen that gets re-heated and it's that re-heated material that gives the foul taste? That's what I feel with the Dynavap, when I get lazy about cleaning ritual for too long, but once thoroughly cleaned, it taste good again.

P.S. Re-reading my post, I just want to clarify, I'm no native english speaker, so that when I say "some people claim", I don't mean anyone is lying about that, just that there is no provided justification about it (nor did I ask until now)

 

[Canna Chameleon]

Except for the difference in heat transfer speed, I don't understand how it could affect the taste. Unless you're using a material that is chemically affected at vaporization temperatures (which would probably be quite dangerous), what effect on the process do they have?

I believe that’s exactly the point. The speed at which (and the capacity for holding) heat can be dissipated back from the warm balls into the air as it passes.

The capacity, or thermal mass, also makes a difference in how much heat can be stored for back to back hits.

so does the surface area of the balls. You’d theoretically get a different transfer rate depending on the size and number of balls too. 50x 4mm will be different than 300 x 3mm.

I don’t believe it’s actually that the flavor itself changes, but that more or less quantity of vapor can be created in a shorter period of time.

 

[Radwin Bodnic]

I believe that’s exactly the point. The speed at which (and the capacity for holding) heat can be dissipated back from the warm balls into the air as it passes.

That's interesting.

Please note my subjunctive phrasing. There's 0 hard science behind what's following, only hypothesis.

Each material (and heater configuration) should have its unique heating profile. Heating air is like exciting the nano turbulences of its compounds. These nano turbulences are not created the same way depending on how the material exchange energy with air. That can be because of different physical proprieties but also because of the material surface condition or the balls size / configuration .
The vapor extracted is drawn into the warm air flow that may have a warmth profile dictated by these nano turbulence, thus by the heater. It is part of the vapor profile of the vape I guess.

All in all this is getting into our mouthes, and in a very subtle way our sensitive neurons and taste buds will probably be excited differently depending on the warmth profile of the inhaled air and vapor.

It would be interesting that the connoisseurs here would do a real blind test of the same rig/vape/weed with different ball materials to see if it is really something that affects the taste or if it's just placebo.

For conduction vapes the analogy is simple : the same steak will not taste the same if it is cooked on a stainless steel pan, on a copper pan, on a cast iron pan...

 

[Ramahs]

 

[tgvp]

Thanks for your answers, but if thermal conductivity (and thermal mass) is the only reason a material is better than another for vaping concentrates (along minor parameters like resistance, toxicity, price and chemical stability), we can have an absolute ranking of materials for said purpose.
Diamond would be the absolute best at >1000w/mK if it wasn't so expensive and hard to work. Silver and copper would be next at around 400w/mK but are not chemically stable (both oxides are toxics I think), but gold would be great. So why don't we see gold plated silver mass as banger material? Due to thermal expansion and the risk of breaking the rig?

Oh, and Silicon Carbide comes next at around 270w/mK, so this explanation seems to make sense

 

[beluga808]

So why don't we see gold plated silver mass as banger material? Due to thermal expansion and the risk of breaking the rig?

the vapman has a gold plated copper pan

 

[Haze Mister]

Stainless steel doesn't seem to be totally inert . I think the effect on flavour from hot metals has something to do with ionisation.
Gold and silver, not inert (low melting points).

I think all the glass / high end ceramic materials (including corundum a.k.a. ruby or sapphire) will be indistinguishable and should not affect the flavour.

You can check if you have real ruby with a UV light. It also goes dark when hot and does have a certain pomegranate-like colour and optical behaviour that becomes easy to recognise.

You are correct about diamond- It is the best material by a long shot and the true mega cannabis baron should have diamonds in his bangers!

The only affordable ball material that comes somewhat close (but not really) to diamond is SiC- it totally out-performs ruby and has the price tag to go with that.

These guys here

Diamondium™ Spinners, single

d-nail.com

are offering transparent SiC balls and spinners. This is the most high end material I have seen available, probably made with a different process than common SiC.
It is highly pure monocrystalline (i think) SiC without the traces of iron oxides that give the common SiC the dark silver appearance, and is a superior material.