Oxygen Absorber

Object: Oxygen Absorber

Cordite Country
(edited slightly for content and spelling)

Most commercial oxygen absorbers are nothing more than fine iron powder mixed with a polymer grain to allow air circulation through the powder – the rusting of the iron powder depletes the container’s contents of oxygen. It’s that simple. It’s also very easy to replicate that process.

Materials:
Depending on the container size, take a wad of steel wool and lay it on a open paper towel. Sprinkle table salt over the steel wool and work it into the fibers. Then fold the towel over and staple it into an envelope shape. That’s it!
 * Steel Wool ‘0000′ superfine (don’t use “SOS” pads)
 * Salt (table salt is fine)
 * Paper towels
 * Stapler

The salt’s acidity activates corrosion of the fine steel wool and the rusting of the steel absorbs oxygen in the container. Just leave a wad of steel wool outside overnight to see this process in fast forward … you don’t even need the salt for that experiment. Keep all your unused DIY Oxygen Absorbers in air-tight freezer bags until you need them.