has anyone ever tried this what are the ratios. what mesh would do best.

Something like 1000 mesh al with kno3 in a 50/50 or 60/40 mixture would work best.

KNO3/600 mesh aluminum works fine in salutes for me, about as powerful as regular 7/3, but the will need a thicker case than what the average M-80 using 7/3 uses.

For me, the best ratio is 65/35. Just experiment around with the ratios until you find the best ratio.

When using the nitrate instead of the perchlorate, does the mixture become more sensative or what ??

I was also thinking of using that mixture, becasue I have both perchlorate and nitrate (KNO3), and want to experiment with them both.

Some nitrate/aluminum mixtures are said to be sensitive, especially in wet conditions or in humid air, but I wouldnt worry too much about it, since none of my mixtures went off with a light hammer hit.

My understanding is that there is some reaction between the Al and the nitrate that can cause it to spontaneously ignite if it becomes moist. A couple percent of boric acid powder mixed in is supposed to prevent this and make it safe.

Im making some this weekend, Ill try every possible way to set the bitch off, Ill post the results.

EDIT:spelling.

[This message has been edited by RabidGeneral (edited 07-25-2003).]

For a kno3 flash powder, I think 85% to 15% works best, but this is only if the end products are Al203 and 3(KNO2), which from a little research seem to be what they are. I know that Al203 is one of the products when potassium perchlorate, or any oxygen and Al react, so I'd assume it is with this as well. As for KNO2, potassium nitrite, it seems that would be the other end product because KNO3 decomposses to KNO2, meaning it losses one oxygen for the Al to take (KCLO4 gives up 4 oxygen which is why it is a better oxidizer). So you'd need 2Al and 3(KNO3)for a balanced equation and after taking into account molecular weight, 53.98 for 2Al and 303.21 for 3(KNO3), you'd get about 85% and 15%.

no, no, no. How can someone who understands how to use moles and stuff not know that KNO3 decomposes into K2O, N2, and O2 in pyro comps. It can be reduced to KNO2 but those ratios won't be good for a pyro comp.

Okay, I didn't actually know for sure what they were, I was just sort of guessing from what I saw looking on the internet for a few minutes, but I re did the math with the final products you have me, and I got 69% to 31%. The final product is {5(Al2O3)+ 3(K2O)+ 6(N2)}. That does make much more sense.

alright i tried some al/kno3 flash, i filed the aluminum filtered it with a strainer 3 times. added kno3 but when i put it in a ploumna not a damn thing it didn't do anything. can anyone give me a link to mesh sizes and what they equal like what mesh would sand be.

i will go with a 50 kno3/30 sulfer/ 20 al. i will extract the al from paint cans using the acetone method.

Here is this from skylighter: http://www.skylighter.com/skylighter_info_pages/article.asp?Item=47 I'm not sure about the microns part, but I think the mesh and the examples are pretty much right. I've also heard that kitchen flour is around 400 mesh as well, but I'm not 100% sure about that.