8 replies to this topic

[Pepsi]

Out of curiosity, how safe is it considered
to Store a few Gram's of KnO3/Mg Flash? (I'm talking uncoated Mg here..)
Thank's in anticipation.
Regards
Pepsi

Edited by Pepsi, 07 March 2006 - 06:08 AM.

[sizzle]

In my opinion you should NEVER store any home-made flash powders.

[fishy1]

not hugely safe.

btw, this question should have been in the flash powders thread.

[Pepsi]

not hugely safe.

btw, this question should have been in the flash powders thread.

Sorry; didnt realize there was a FP Thread... anyhow, Why is it not considered safe? is theMg inclined to react with moisture in the Nitrate or another reason other than .."Because its not safe to keep".

Regards

[karlfoxman]

Sorry; didnt realize there was a FP Thread... anyhow, Why is it not considered safe? is theMg inclined to react with moisture in the Nitrate or another reason other than .."Because its not safe to keep".

Regards

Uncoated magnesium is highly reactive with water, i have heard it can even draw oxygen from sand when it burns so i would not like to store it. Try coating it with linseed oil, even this is very dangerous and no task for any newbie. Please read on the dangers of fine magnesium powders unless you like working with no idea what CAN happen.

[Pepsi]

Uncoated magnesium is highly reactive with water, i have heard it can even draw oxygen from sand when it burns so i would not like to store it. Try coating it with linseed oil, even this is very dangerous and no task for any newbie. Please read on the dangers of fine magnesium powders unless you like working with no idea what CAN happen.

Thank's Karl for the reply, I was wondering if the Mg would react with ambient High humidity moisture and the Nitrate to start a reaction...

Regards

[karlfoxman]

No problem, its always good to ask if your unsure. Magnesium is far too reactive when uncoated and can cause problems and accidents. Like i said do read up on it so you know the dangers and how to reduce them to a point you feel safe using it.

Play safe!

[pyrotrev]

Thank's Karl for the reply, I was wondering if the Mg would react with ambient High humidity moisture and the Nitrate to start a reaction...

Regards

Yes I can confirm it will! If the powder's very fine and there's plenty of damp around, it might generate enough heat to ignite in a confined, insulated space. Otherwise it'll just corrode away and lose it's pyrotechnic potency. As Karl said, coating with linseed oil will remedy this, an alternative might be treating it with potassium dichromate to form a ptotective layer of chromium oxide on the surface, but that's a moderately nasty process too.

[Mumbles]

It's more of a matrix of MgO, and Chromium salts mixed in. The chromium makes the oxide layer more dense which doesn't allow things in that would react with the Mg metal core.

In the "Magnesium Coating" thread there is a big post by me about the whole thing. That took a while to research.