22 replies to this topic

[a_bab]

In some references (Lancaster) potassium picrate is claimed to be still in use in countries like Mexico (illegal fireworks). It is used in crackers rather then whistles.

Potassium picrate is a HE on itself; this is a molecule ready to go off and not a lousy flash mix. There is no term of comparison between a real HE and the mighty flash. 100 grams of confined flash will leave a spot on a 3 mm steel plate; 100 g of potassium picrate will leave a dent if not a hole. To the human flesh it makes no difference: they both vaporise it to a red mist.

There was an accident in Paris some 150 years ago involving 20 kilos of potassium picrate, caused by a smoker who passed by a small chemical shop ("droguerie") and a spark from it's cig entered the shop, fell in the keg and killed on the spot 2 people that were in there. A vertebrae from one's spinal cord was found across the square 150 m far away, in 2'd floor flat, burried in the wood wall after it broke thru the window. I can attach the story if someone is interested.

Edited by a_bab, 01 November 2009 - 07:16 AM.

[StephF]

My advice would be to leave metal picrates well alone

They can be unpredictable and I feel they lie well outside the realm of pyrotechnics and head towards the field of explosives.

[CCH Concepts]

this all agrees with what i read when i first bought it and choose not to use it. here was me hoping i had found a replacement for the hard to get barium chlorate.

[Potassium chlorate]

this all agrees with what i read when i first bought it and choose not to use it. here was me hoping i had found a replacement for the hard to get barium chlorate.

It should be easier to get barium chlorate than picric acid, though, since barium chlorate isn't a high explosive on its own, even it it raher easily can be turned into one.

[CCH Concepts]

I'm guessing we should leave that one there, or we will get had a go at.

but it is an interesting subject, even if just to know not to try it.

[CCH Concepts]

so much for hard to get.

ebay

[Mumbles]

What does barium chlorate have to do with potassium picrate? One is used for green star, and the other is used for exotic whistles. Unless you were planning make salutes, they share no uses.

By the way, barium chlorate most certainly is a high explosive on it's own. Other things just rapidly make it much more sensitive.

I never mentioned it to be a legitimate pyro chemical. I simply brought it up as a curiosity with regard to the discussion of sensitivity of Ba(ClO3)2 stars. It was never traditional or used with any frequency, simply in exhibition stars which were solely reserved for very special occasions. You can read about it in Weingart if you are truly interested, but as you have already decided, you probably should let this one go.

Also, copper picrate is one of those things that will go off by looking at it wrong. A very sensitive primary explosive. Far more sensitive and unstable than lead, silver or mercury forms. I'd suspect strontium and barium to exhibit similar characteristics of being rather sensitive primary explosives.

[CCH Concepts]

its a shame, I'm assuming this coming under the category of if its not being done already there probably a good reason, such as it was tried and wasn't practical.
my interest was it if they could produce color and yes i would liked a colored salute lol, but more star mixes etc.
but this was more of a curiosity, i have along way to go before i start coming up with my own comps, I'm going to stick with tried and tested for a long time yet. but doesn't stop me posting ideas and if i manage a good one, maybe a more experienced member will test them for me lol. i would like member opinions on the stuff i read about negative explosives, again not for salutes I'm curious for pyro in general and from a chemistry point. just not something Ive heard mentioned before.