powdered copper

Have you tried "bronzing powders" from a paint supply? That is supposed to be real metal. Mohawk Finishing Prod. from Chicago Area sells it.

Used froggle.com and came up with

at $14 a pound (41 micron) additive to epoxy. Daniel Smith ( ) a paint pigment and Cole-Parmer industrial supply ( )too.

I've found one source on eBay which sells powdered copper and aluminum. Give 'em a write and see what they can do for you:

-- "If necessity is the mother of invention, then is experimentation the father?" MCJ 20041116

thanks. this is in the UK, which would make shipping be a lot. most places i've contacted, including the ones previously mentioned, are really micas, or copper colored other metals (like aluminium), or are paint pigments, which are plastic encapsulated to prevent corrosion. about the only place i've found elemental copper powder (outside of buying quantity in metric tonnes) is at chemical supply houses for lots of $$$s.

You might want to ask about the shipping, the extra cost might be acceptable. About the only other thing I can think of would be buying "copper oxide" as is used for potterymakeing off of ebay, and chemically stripping off the oxygen atoms. It is possible but might involve some corrosive/dangerous chemicals. You could try posting that question on sci.chemistry, they might be able to help. :)

-- "I believe the basis for the existance of the universe can be represented by an incomprehensibly awesome and yet equally simple mathematical formula, much like the enth iteration in a fractal algorithm." MCJ 2002