823 replies to this topic

[MDH]

As I said in the star thread, I've been working with Sorbates to produce colors.

I might as well mention this while I'm at it - it's not technically "flash" but makes an acceptable report composition.

Report 1:
Potassium Perchlorate, 65
Potassium Sorbate, 32
Red Iron Oxide, 3
Notes: Leave as a dust or fine powder. Produces a sound somewhat similar to whistle, a very pronounced, deep thud.

Report II:
Potassium Nitrate, 7
Potassium Sorbate, 1
Airfloat Charcoal, 2
Notes: Bind with alcohol and water, allow to dry as a paste, then granulate. Performs somewhat like average black powder in containment, however.

Potassium sorbate and nitrate burn alone with a very calm, clear flame which makes excellent flares when pressed in tall paper tubes. The same would very likely be possible with strontium nitrate making nice red or green flares because it burns with such a calm, low light.

Edited by MDH, 11 July 2009 - 11:29 PM.

[Potassium chlorate]

This is a couple of flash like bursting charges used by a fellow Swede who is very good at fireworks. He is one of the extremely few Swedish pyro hobbyists who have gotten a license to make fireworks. Usually you don't get a pyro license as a private citizen here, even if you dont even have a parking fine. It's easier to get a gun legally than a pyro license here.

Anyway: spherical bomb bursting charge 3" and sometimes 4": KClO4/C/Al 80:13:7 on rice hulls or cork;
5" sperical bomb bursting charge: KCLO4/C 84:16, KClO4:C:S 75:15:10, KClO4:C:KBz 80:10:10 on rice hulls.

Edited by Pyroswede, 09 August 2009 - 09:40 AM.

[Potassium chlorate]

Today I tested green flash:

Mg 46%
Ba(ClO₃)₂ 36%
KClO₃ 11%
PVC 7%

Extremely good colour and a nice bang.

[seymour]

I would not like to handle it any more than required however!

Barium chlorate AND magnesium!

Got videos?

[MDH]

I would not like to handle it any more than required however!

Barium chlorate AND magnesium!

Got videos?

Very unstable, I'd assume. Magnesium is such a high temperature fuel that it would likely overpower the green. Organic fuels would be a better candidate in this scenario - but those are, arguably, even more sensitive with chlorates.

[Potassium chlorate]

No, I have no videos, sorry. But if you have the chemicals you can test it for yourself.

I just made 1.2 grams. I had expected it to be pale green at first myself, since that was the reaction I got from barium chlorate and magnesium alone, but the PVC and potassium chlorate actually made it as deep green as my barium chlorate Bengals.

It's a formula from something called Pyro-Tech.

[MDH]

No, I have no videos, sorry. But if you have the chemicals you can test it for yourself.

I just made 1.2 grams. I had expected it to be pale green at first myself, since that was the reaction I got from barium chlorate and magnesium alone, but the PVC and potassium chlorate actually made it as deep green as my barium chlorate Bengals.

It's a formula from something called Pyro-Tech.

The question is, is it comparable to Maltese green beraq inside of containment?

How would you rate it as a twinkling green star core?

Edited by MDH, 08 September 2009 - 11:37 PM.

[pyrotrev]

Very unstable, I'd assume. Magnesium is such a high temperature fuel that it would likely overpower the green. Organic fuels would be a better candidate in this scenario - but those are, arguably, even more sensitive with chlorates.

BUT, if there's enough chlorine and/or hydrogen in the flame to reduce magnesium oxide then the magnesium spectrum becomes almost transparent allowing the colour to shine through - this I guess is why the PVC is there. Still a hairy mixture though, I'm sure the Maltese would love it!

Edited by pyrotrev, 09 September 2009 - 01:02 PM.

[seymour]

BUT, if there's enough chlorine and/or hydrogen in the flame to reduce magnesium oxide then the magnesium spectrum becomes almost transparent allowing the colour to shine through - this I guess is why the PVC is there. Still a hairy mixture though, I'm sure the Maltese would love it!

Don't you mean Magnesium chloride?

[MDH]

Don't you mean Magnesium chloride?

I think what pyrotrev is saying is that during the burning process, magnesium compounds that emit white light will be neutralized by excesses of the mentioned strong reducing agents. By the time a flash is being produced, a great majority of the burning process will have already passed, thus chlorine radicals and SO2 will have already had a chance to perform their task in allowing the other compounds to do their job.

Magnesium chloride produces no colour in a flame. Copper and barium monochloride, on the other hand, produce rich colours.

There is a lot more to be said on the issue of making a coloured star or flash powder, which I will soon. But I am starving and it's only 5:30 PM here on the North American west coast, and will return shortly.....

Edited by MDH, 10 September 2009 - 12:31 AM.

[seymour]

I think what pyrotrev is saying is that during the burning process, magnesium compounds that emit white light will be neutralized by excesses of the mentioned strong reducing agents. By the time a flash is being produced, a great majority of the burning process will have already passed, thus chlorine radicals and SO2 will have already had a chance to perform their task in allowing the other compounds to do their job.

Magnesium chloride produces no colour in a flame. Copper and barium monochloride, on the other hand, produce rich colours.

There is a lot more to be said on the issue of making a coloured star or flash powder, which I will soon. But I am starving and it's only 5:30 PM here on the North American west coast, and will return shortly.....

My mistake was thinking the word "reduce" was "produce".

I shouold read things more carefully

[Potassium chlorate]

The question is, is it comparable to Maltese green beraq inside of containment?

How would you rate it as a twinkling green star core?

Well, if you make a chlorate star, I think it would be very nice.

By the way, I borrowed a mobile phone with a camera. Here is my 90:10 barium chlorate/shellac Bengal. To the eye, it's even greener than in this vid. Many people think it's on the lawn, but it's actually on gravel:

Green Bengal

Edited by Pyroswede, 10 September 2009 - 06:25 AM.

[CCH Concepts]

Question for everyone. In another thread we have been discussing making flash with titanium is the fuel. discussing increased sensitivity, power and methods etc. I'd be interested in everyones thoughts on this mix. Also as to what other metals could be used as fuels. There is obviously Mg and Al, but what about others. Could iron be used as a fuel with a catalyst maybe? And if so what effect would this have on the flash. Ie change in colour, sensitivity, ignition temp . power, burn temp, luminocity, burn speed etc.

Edited by CCH Concepts, 21 October 2009 - 06:17 PM.

[MDH]

Question for everyone. In another thread we have been discussing making flash with titanium is the fuel. discussing increased sensitivity, power and methods etc. I'd be interested in everyones thoughts on this mix. Also as to what other metals could be used as fuels. There is obviously Mg and Al, but what about others. Could iron be used as a fuel with a catalyst maybe? And if so what effect would this have on the flash. Ie change in colour, sensitivity, ignition temp . power, burn temp, luminocity, burn speed etc.

No, iron powder is not reactive enough. And it loses quality, oxidizing to various forms of rust.

The best chance you have at making colored flash is with organic fuels and color-donating oxidants.

[CCH Concepts]

No, iron powder is not reactive enough. And it loses quality, oxidizing to various forms of rust.

The best chance you have at making colored flash is with organic fuels and color-donating oxidants.

reading through this thread that was very apparent. my thoughts behind this are more from a curiosity point of view. there are alot of metals still on the periodic table it would be interesting to know whether in the right formulation they could be made to work as a flash powder and if so what there characteristics would be.