8 replies to this topic

[bernie]

Without getting to darn technical....can anyone out there explain the difference between barium carbonate and barium sulfate as it applies to a delay agent in glitter effects. Specifically, will one perform more betterer than the otherer.
I have come to understand that the sulfate is not nearly as toxic as the carb. Are the two more or less interchangeable in glitter comps?

What a bunch of tight lipped chemists you all are. I think your all just pi**ed you can't go to the store and buy bundles of visco.

[Edited on 7-6-2003 by bernie briden]

[pyrotrev]

It's not that we're tight-lipped chemists or can't buy Visco (I get mine sent to me, saves driving to pick it up), more like that gliiter/strobe reactions are just about the most complex thing we have to deal with. I would guess either Mr Winokur or Shimizu San would be best qualified to give advice on the relative merits of sulphate vs. carbonate, from looking at their energies of formation I would guess the sulphate would react more strongly with the metal, but would that give a better glitter???? Gliiter and strobe reactions using metal/sulphate/oxidiser have 2 sets of reactants, the oxidiser/ metal, and the metal violently reducing the sulphate (Shimizu calls this a "negative"explosive) the uneven buring that produces the visual effect is a sort of alternation between the two reations it's thought. The sulphate is definitely less toxic*, presumably on account of it's lower solubility, just as well since it's what they stuff up your backside when they give you an enema!

[bernie]

I have literature but it's a few years old and I was looking to see if a better understanding had evolved. Also, at the time of the post there was very little going on and I thought I could get some conversation started.
Pyrotechnic chemistry is a VERY specific field it seems and although there is a great deal of information out there it is a bit difficult to decipher for a non-chemist type like myself. You fellas on this forum seem very bright in the ways of chemistry and thought you could lay it out for a guy like me.
The visco remark was just to see if I could get someone to respond. I guess I will have to go back and take another look to see if it makes more sense to me. Thanks

[adamw]

This topic is getting a bit stale, so I thought I'd add my Super Super Simple glitter comp:

Meal 'A' powder (for UK people): 5
Mg/Al 60# .................................: 3
Dextrin.......................................: 1

I discovered it whilst doing some R&D for another project at work. It wasnt right for the application, but I shot the star from a candle and was pleased by the simple sizzling glitter effect. Meal 'A' is the type used at work, but a good quality fine 'own brand' should do.

[bernie]

Magnalium has a real nice sizzle goin' for it. Do you get any 'hang time' ?

Are you sure about the percentage of magnalium? Thats like 33%. And almost 3 times the usual binder. Some one else must have paid for the mg/al.

[Edited on 1-7-2003 by bernie briden]

[Richard H]

I could put up a video of Adam's glitter in action if you like. It has a good hang time and makes a lovely sizzle noise.

[bernie]

Better make it simple to find or I'll get lost.

[adamw]

Yes I used that much binder because the coarse MgAl would make the star more prone to crumbling or cracking.




You can get the vid here:

http://homepage.ntlw...glittertest1.rm

Note that its a bit long burning Thats because as I said it was scrap from another project, but it gives nice effect. Could be used with more lift or in shells etc as it is, otherwise some fine tuning is needed to adjust burn time.

Bernie, so you dont end up down the wrong road in cyberspace, just right click the link for the video and select 'Save as'

[Edited on 2-7-2003 by adamw]

[bernie]

Thankyou for considering my ineptness and making it easy. I sort of figured that was what all the binder was about. Have you tinkered around with this simple formula at all? It's a bit hard to get an idea of scale. Are they big flashes? As in collective metal globs? Glob is a very technical term. It's similar to flubber only completely different.

A pressed comet I presume?

Have you ever had any luck using dark pyro alum. in a glitter mix? Have never even tried it myself. Always used the better known formulae and the typical spherical type aluminums.



[Edited on 3-7-2003 by bernie briden]