16 replies to this topic

[neo]

Hi I wonder is this a good comp. for green stars?

Potassium nitrate....................35
Sulfur....................................10
Meal powder............................40
Barium nitrate........................50
Charcoal................................10

Why I want to use this comp. is because I don' need many different chemicals.
If you have any good star comp. whit few chemicals, it doesn?t have to be green stars...

[RegimentalPyro]

I would have thought that you would need a Chlorine donor - PVC, Saran, Pot Chlorate etc.

Have you tried this yet?

[Phoenix]

I would be very surprised if it will produce a green colour, since, as RegimentalPyro pointed out, there is no chlorine source. Without chlorine in the flame, barium will give a weak yellow or white colour. However, this formula may not give even that, since it probably won't be hot enough. Organic colour formulas need an energetic oxidiser like potassium chlorate or potassium or barium chlorate.

Regarding your second question, a couple of easy ones are "Tiger Tail" (see the "Star Formulas" topic) and this simple white star formula, which is quite effective.

Potassium nitrate.........24
Sulphur........................7
Charcoal.......................1

I got this comp from Paul's site. It works better when ball milled. No binder is needed - the dampened comp sets rock hard without one. It seems to take quite a while to dry, although I have only made two batches of it, so I'm not sure. It will look very dissapointing whilst it's still damp, but when it's fully dry it burns with a bright white flame. It needs priming with meal BP.

[neo]

okay... but what if I shange the potassium nitrate to potassium chlorate? And potassium chlorate contains chlorine, so dose it work like an chlorine donor?

I also wonder if I can buy some PVC tubes and just file it down do get it to powder or do I have to buy "real" PVC?

[Richard H]

You can't just swop one oxidiser for another. Doing this may change the burning characteristics of the star. Stoichiometrics for one thing would have to be taken into account. Secondly, you have sulphur in that star. Any idea what happens when you mix chlorates and sulphur? It's not a good idea at all!

For a good green you need a chlorine donor and a metal fuel present. Also, you cannot use PVC pipe and file it down. You need proper PVC powder.

[neo]

Secondly, you have sulphur in that star. Any idea what happens when you mix chlorates and sulphur? It's not a good idea at all!

Didn?t think of that... I know what happens...
Which of thes comps. are best?

Potassium chlorate..........65
Strontium carbonate........15
Shellac.............................20
or
Potassium perchlorate..............70
Strontium carbonate................15
Red gum.....................................9
Charcoal 150 Mesh....................2
Dextrin......................................4

Edited by neo, 09 July 2004 - 07:31 PM.

[BigG]

Both will give acceptable Red. Second formula is slightly safer, simply because it's probably better for beginners to stay away from chlorates.

[bmiller14]

For a kinda wierd green comp you could use zinc/sulfer exparement with proportions I always used 50/50. If you were to use water as a solevent you would need to be carfull I under stand water oxidizes zinc and produces heat so you would have to coat the zinc or use a difforent solevent.

[neo]

"coat the zinc "????
What dose that mean? (remember i'm new )

[bmiller14]

It means to boil it in linseed oil or do something else to cover the zinc in a nonreactive coating. You also need to do it with magnesium and other chems in special circumstances.

[Richard H]

Magnesium for example often requires a potassium dichromate coating.

Coating basically stops unwanted reactions occuring with the metal. For example the oxidation of iron in a composition is undesirable, and so it is often roasted in linseed oil and dried prior to use.

[Chaz]

Why dont you consider using zinc to get you greens?

Heres a formula I made up myself, and heres a small starmine with the stars in it: http://www.infernola...noGreenMine.wmv

Zinc 31.0g
KNO3 11.0g
PVC 3.0g
Sulfur 3.0g

It adds up to 48g, this is intentional, I havent missed anything.

The only bad thing about using zinc is that it'll weigh the star down quite a lot, since its so heavy.

[neo]

Thanks! But it was a very weird green... the particles are almost pink but the light was green... strange!

Thanks anyway!

[paul]

The very best green mix I?ve ever tried was the "Brilliant Green Star" composition from Shimizu:

Potassium perchlorate.............................16
Barium nitrate....................................42
Magnesium, 60 mesh................................25
PVC...............................................15
Lampblack or Paulownia coal.......................2

I simply used airfloat poplar-charcoal instead of the lampblack. This composition produces such an nice green.....


Barium or Strontium Nitrate.......................60
Magnesium.........................................20
PVC...............................................20

This composition is listed as "white star" but when you use it with Ba(NO3)2 it produces a very bright and soft green light. To get the comp. burning green you should moisten it with enough! acetone and rub it through a sieve a few times. U cant make normal stars with that comp. but using it in a shell as a burstcharge together with coated CornCob gives nice effects in the sky.

[Pyromaster2003]

The very best green mix I?ve ever tried was the "Brilliant Green Star" composition from Shimizu:

Potassium perchlorate.............................16
Barium nitrate....................................42
Magnesium, 60 mesh................................25
PVC...............................................15
Lampblack or Paulownia coal.......................2

I simply used airfloat poplar-charcoal instead of the lampblack. This composition produces such an nice green.....

Il give that green comp ago today if i get time, will be great if its as promissing as it sounds.

Edited by Pyromaster2003, 10 July 2004 - 09:47 AM.