633 replies to this topic

[Mnemotron]

I'm not certain, I've only worked with copper chloride - but I can tell you compositions with chlorate, shellac and PVC burn quite hotly. A barium chloride variant will have to be played with to work properly.

With that being said, how has your experience been with copper chloride? I've had lovely experiences using it in stars with quite a number of fuels.

For now i haven't tested cucl2 yet,i'm still waiting it .But i saw on youtube that a mix of kclo3,hexamine and cucl2 makes very nice blue.Now i want to test with bacl2 .I'll keep you informed

[pyrotechnist]

Has anyone ever thought of using yellow powder in some sort of micro-crackling stars? I say this as it only deflagerates once molten so if you could someone get the little stars to heat to the point where the mix melts and bursts the outer crust it could work.

[Mnemotron]

I would say try these:

KClO3, 55
CuCl2, 23
PVC, 10
Shellac, 7
Dextrin, 5

KClO3, 57
BaCl2, 20
Shellac, 8
PVC, 10
Dextrin, 5

Only try them in small amounts at first if you scale is capable of measuring in 1/10 or 1/100 of a gram. Raise or lower the fuel value until you recieve a preferable burn rate or light output. Raise the KClO3 for a higher light output. Once you've found the right composition, make a larger amount.

It would help if you told me what chemicals you have so I'm not troubleshooting my way through this...

Hi MDH,
I've just tested the bacl2 formula you give me with bad results (yellow flame).Do you think that adding some mgal to the comp can rise the temperature and emitting green light?.I think the problem is the temperature or am i wrong?

Edited by Mnemotron, 01 December 2010 - 11:41 PM.

[MDH]

You can try that, yes. The purity of your chemicals might also have an effect, or raising oxidation - when you say yellow flame, I think of under-oxidation. Where are your PVC and chlorate from? Self synthesis? PVC Pipe? If you have other fuels still available it would be better to give those a shot. Shellac and PVC are basic fuels that will work well with red, but when it comes to green and blue give inferior results.

Here is a very nice hexamine blue from an armature on youtube using CuCl2:


This can give you a hint of how chlorides are used alone and not with other chlorine donors or special fuels.

It seems like the amount of chloride he uses is very high - a lot higher than I have ever used. But the blue he has is much better than mine, too .

[Mnemotron]

You can try that, yes. The purity of your chemicals might also have an effect, or raising oxidation - when you say yellow flame, I think of under-oxidation. Where are your PVC and chlorate from? Self synthesis? PVC Pipe? If you have other fuels still available it would be better to give those a shot. Shellac and PVC are basic fuels that will work well with red, but when it comes to green and blue give inferior results.

Here is a very nice hexamine blue from an armature on youtube using CuCl2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hg6a4XkC24

This can give you a hint of how chlorides are used alone and not with other chlorine donors or special fuels.

It seems like the amount of chloride he uses is very high - a lot higher than I have ever used. But the blue he has is much better than mine, too .

Yes,i already saw that video,fantastic blue!!!.In fact i'm waiting for hexamine,cucl2,magnesium and parlon.My kclo3 and pvc came from likurg like all other chemicals except the Bacl2.I test it on fire and i haven't seen any green .I hope that they didn't sold me something else

[MDH]

You mean, you tested the barium chloride in an alcoholic solution?

[Mnemotron]

You mean, you tested the barium chloride in an alcoholic solution?

Hi,
i have news about Bacl2.I discovered that the problem was the PVC.I used a formula similar to "Radian Green star" rising the level of Mgal and adding shellac instead of PVC.Finally i have green light!!!
However the formula is expensive and hard to light.When i'll have a good formula i'll write it here

Edited by Mnemotron, 03 December 2010 - 01:30 AM.

[Mnemotron]

Sounds like ir should be really prety!

No,it didn't work

[Mnemotron]

You can try that, yes. The purity of your chemicals might also have an effect, or raising oxidation - when you say yellow flame, I think of under-oxidation. Where are your PVC and chlorate from? Self synthesis? PVC Pipe? If you have other fuels still available it would be better to give those a shot. Shellac and PVC are basic fuels that will work well with red, but when it comes to green and blue give inferior results.

Here is a very nice hexamine blue from an armature on youtube using CuCl2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hg6a4XkC24

This can give you a hint of how chlorides are used alone and not with other chlorine donors or special fuels.

It seems like the amount of chloride he uses is very high - a lot higher than I have ever used. But the blue he has is much better than mine, too .

Hi MDH,
this is my Cucl2 compostion,what do you think?
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=kXR0r4FCxgM
Formula:
50% KClO3
33% CuCl2
17% Hexamine

Edited by Mnemotron, 08 December 2010 - 01:35 AM.

[MDH]

That'll work excellently and it matches the blue I have made with CuCl2 - But the burning properties are better than mine since I rarely ever used hexamine (I used dextrin, PVC and shellac)! It seems like the hexamine is a bit high but perhaps the paper you lit it on is producing the orange tip in that video.

Good luck with your future devices.

[Potassium chlorate]

I have some CuCl₂ and hexamine too. Must try it some day. Very nice colours.

[Mnemotron]

That'll work excellently and it matches the blue I have made with CuCl2 - But the burning properties are better than mine since I rarely ever used hexamine (I used dextrin, PVC and shellac)! It seems like the hexamine is a bit high but perhaps the paper you lit it on is producing the orange tip in that video.

Good luck with your future devices.

Yes,the orange tip was produced by the paper.I was very happy of the colour,fast and clean flame.Hexamine is a great fuel for blue.I tryed it with SrCO3 and made a very rich red too!!!

Edited by Mnemotron, 08 December 2010 - 03:51 PM.

[Mnemotron]

That'll work excellently and it matches the blue I have made with CuCl2 - But the burning properties are better than mine since I rarely ever used hexamine (I used dextrin, PVC and shellac)! It seems like the hexamine is a bit high but perhaps the paper you lit it on is producing the orange tip in that video.

Good luck with your future devices.

Yesterday i made 50 grams of stars with that comp but today i tryed to ignite them but they only makes a lot of smoke and no flame!!!
The problem can be that the stars are still wet?.The only difference is that I added 5% dextrin

[seymour]

You guys might want to do some more reading before you keep playing around with chlorates.

Hexamine is made from Ammonia and formaldehyde. This process can, and does I believe reverse to an extent. Not so much that you will be left without Hexamine, but so you will be left with Hexamine with an Ammonia contamination.

People always talk about the incompatibility between chlorates and Sulfur, but in my opinion the chlorates and ammonia incompatibility is worse.

I certainly hope someone comes along and explains why I'm wrong, but if not, I suggest saving the Hexamine for perchlorates and nitrates.

Edited by seymour, 10 December 2010 - 08:32 PM.

[Mnemotron]

You guys might want to do some more reading before you keep playing around with chlorates.

Hexamine is made from Ammonia and formaldehyde. This process can, and does I believe reverse to an extent. Not so much that you will be left without Hexamine, but so you will be left with Hexamine with an Ammonia contamination.

People always talk about the incompatibility between chlorates and Sulfur, but in my opinion the chlorates and ammonia incompatibility is worse.

I certainly hope someone comes along and explains why I'm wrong, but if not, I suggest saving the Hexamine for perchlorates and nitrates.

There is a risk of auto-ignition?