65 replies to this topic

[BrightStar]

'Pyroswede', on 05 Oct 2010 - 5:43 PM, said:

I just tested the "reddest" composition I ever saw; Bleser Red Magnesium

Unusual to see both PVC and Parlon together. I wonder if the PVC is included for its fuel value here.

Out of interest what grade of Mg are you using? How did you bind it?

[Potassium chlorate]

I use 32-63µm from Keten, uncoated. I make pumped 10 mm stars with aceton as a solvent.

Yes, it's unusual, but I also think it has something with fueling to do. PVC has a lower chlorine content but leaves a little less residues.

I also tested some pretty bright barium chlorate stars with Mg, my own composition:

Barium chlorate 25
Potassium perchlorate 20
Magnesium 30
Parlon 15
PVC 10

Though I made them today and tested them in broad daylight. I'll have to wait until the evening to test the "brightness" and colour depth properly. In daylight it's not as deep in colour as an organic composition.

[MDH]

It confuses me that you add parlon to these compositions. Is your goal to neutralize the MgO soon after reactions so it does not decompose the BaCl?

[Potassium chlorate]

'MDH', on 07 Oct 2010 - 4:03 PM, said:

It confuses me that you add parlon to these compositions. Is your goal to neutralize the MgO soon after reactions so it does not decompose the BaCl?

The chlorine content in barium chlorate is 23%. That makes it about 20.5% chlorine all in all in the "classic" 9:1 barium chlorate/shellac composition. This is very deep in colour (although not the deepest; a friend added some organic nitrate to barium chlorate and made it even more green than with shellac!)

But anyway, when you add metal powders for higher emission of light, you also decrease the overall chlorine content in the composition. Therefore I add parlon for more chlorine. As you see there are four chlorine donors here: the barium chlorate itself, the potassium perchlorate, the parlon and the PVC. All in all >27%, i.e. more than in pure barium chlorate.

I didn't think of neutralizing the MgO, but that's probably a nice side effect to it.

[Potassium chlorate]

Here it is not, bad ay?

[darkfang77]

Off topic, but I found a slightly more superior flare mix on Pyroguide.

KNO3 5pts
Al atomized, 200-325 mesh, 3pts
sulphur 2pts

It's very good, far less smoky than the mag one I used earlier, although not as beautiful or quantity effective.
I changed the formula slightly to something like
KNO3 6pts
Al 4 pts
sulphur 3pts
charcoal minimum 10 mesh 2pts
Mg 30 mesh 1 pts

As a result there were a few a nice golden sparks and a couple more long lived sparks, smoke levels still comparable with the above one, but more effective.
Is it possible to get a flare colour other than red/white?
Are greens/blues possible? I know they are for fountains but does the same ideas apply for flares?

EDIT:
the first formula burns really fast, so you have to compact it up really solid so it doesn't burn in 5 secs.

Edited by darkfang77, 12 October 2010 - 08:27 PM.