Well, I decided to make a little list for me (a begginer) on diffrent compositions with the certain chemicals that I have in my posetion. And I was wondering if anyone could just add diffrent compositions that I don't already have listed with the chemicals I listed. And can you tell me what %'s to use in the mixture, directions, and what it does (ie: black powder, flash powder, etc.).

Thanks in advance!

Pyrotechnic Compositions

Chemicals:

· Potassium Perchlorate (KCIO4)

· Potassium Nitrate (KNO3)

· Aluminum Powder (Al)

· Sulfur (S)

· Charcoal Air-Float (C)

· Sugar (Sucrose)

· Dextrin

Compositions:

· Flash Powder 1 – The common Flash Powder mixture (More Al = louder)

o Potassium Perchlorate (KCIO4)……… 70%

o Aluminum Powder (Al)…………… 30%

· Flash Powder 2 – Almost the same effect as the first mixture (A little louder)

o Potassium Perchlorate (KCIO4)……… 50%

o Aluminum Powder (Al)…………… 23%

o Sulfur (S)……………………… 27%

· Flash Powder 3 – Almost the same effect as the first mixture (A little brighter)

o Potassium Nitrate (KNO3)……… 50%

o Aluminum Powder (Al)……… 50%

· Flash Powder 4 – Relatively safe composition. Burns with a brilliant white light in an open tube, or when unconfined. When well confined, it produces a loud, low pitched report and a short but intense flash.

o Potassium Nitrate (KNO3)……… 50%

o Aluminum Powder (Al)……… 20%

o Sulfur (S)………………… 30%

· Smoke Composition 1 – Is most successful when prepared by melting the sugar and potassium nitrate together on low heat, but this requires good stirring, and there is a risk of accidental ignition. The molten mixture can be poured in cardboard containers and a fuse inserted while the mixture solidifies. Can also be mixed together and poured into a tube (without melting it).

o Potassium Nitrate (KNO3)……… 60%

o Sugar (Sucrose)……………… 40%

· Sparkler Composition 1 – A common sparkler mixture.

o Potassium Perchlorate (KCIO4)……… 60% or 50%

o Aluminum Powder (Al)…………… 30% or 35%

o Dextrin………………………… 10% or 15%

· Black Powder – Two methods of preparation exist, the precipitation or CIA method, and the ball milling method. The ball milling method produces slightly superior results. This produces Meal Powder.

o Potassium Nitrate (KNO3)……… 75%

o Charcoal Air-Float (C)……… 15%

o Sulfur (S)………………… 10%

And1Drew, can I ask where you got your scale from and how much did you pay? Because I have looked on web sites and the cheapest I found was $89.99.

KClO4/charcoal- 75/25

KNO3/charcoal- 1/1 or 75/25 (some people get better results with 75/25, and others have better results with 1/1, so try both and use what you like).

KNO3/sugar/sulfer- 5/2/3 (or 3/2).

KClO4/sugar- 7/3

KClO4/aluminum- 2/1. (this is my favorite aluminum based flash powder. It has more aluminum, so it releases more gases and it makes a brighter flash. Since potassium perchlorate is being used, the burn rate stays the same as 7/3, even though there is less fuel).

Thanks alot for the comps Ice, but can you tell me what each one does? Like this mix: KClO4/charcoal- 75/25... what does that produce? Etc....

And Air, I got my scale at http://www.oldwillknott.com/ and I bought the MX-200 mini for $37.90 + S&H. And the scale works great, and is just what a beggining (im assuming your just starting off, just as I am) pyrotechnic needs to measure his comps properley

It's good that its small, because it deters you from mixing measuring/mixing large quantities of comps because of the size

Edit: Fixed spelling mistake

[This message has been edited by And1Drew (edited 07-27-2003).]

No one has any ??

And Ice, can you tell me what the compostions make that you listed above.

KClO4/charcoal 75/25

I'm assuming thats a deviation from H3(KClO3/C), a powder often used as a break charge.

KNO3/charcoal- 1/1 or 75/25

Sulfurless BP

KNO3/sugar/sulfer- 5/2/3 (or 3/2).

famous '5 cent sugar rockets' and then (kno3/C6H12O6 smoke mix)

KClO4/aluminum- 2/1

self explanatory.

Thanks Orange, and im assuming the H3 is very sensative right? And are there any special instructions to making/mixing any of those comps?

Also with the KNO3/sugar/sulfer- 5/2/3 (or 3/2). famous '5 cent sugar rockets', is there any special thing you have to do to it, or igniting it (like does it all have to burn at the same time to lift off properly)? And then the (kno3/C6H12O6 smoke mix), that is the 6/4 ratio of KNO3 and Sugar right? Or is there a diffrent mixture?

The KNO3/charcoal- 1/1 or 75/25 composition... you still need to put it in a ball mill or use the CIA method right ?

And when u say 2/1 you mean (as a example) 20g perchlorate and 10g Al right (just making sure) ??



[This message has been edited by And1Drew (edited 07-28-2003).]

Can anyone also tell me what these two make (and Orange you said you assume, I want to be sure on the KClO4/charcoal- 75/25 mix)??

Both are explosives. The KClO4/sugar being about as powerful as black powder and the KClO4/charcoal is about as powerful as whistle mix (close in power to flash).

OrangeJuice got all the rest of the comps, and yes, you should still ball mill your sulferless BP.

[quote]Originally posted by And1Drew:

[b]Thanks Orange, and im assuming the H3 is very sensative right? And are there any special instructions to making/mixing any of those comps?

Correct, anything with chlorates is sensitive.

Also with the KNO3/sugar/sulfer- 5/2/3 (or 3/2). famous '5 cent sugar rockets', is there any special thing you have to do to it, or igniting it (like does it all have to burn at the same time to lift off properly)?

Use the powder the same way as traditional black powder rockets.

Ball mill until its a fine powder, ram into core burning rockets.

And then the (kno3/C6H12O6 smoke mix), that is the 6/4 ratio of KNO3 and Sugar right? Or is there a diffrent mixture?

Its the same.

The KNO3/charcoal- 1/1 or 75/25 composition... you still need to put it in a ball mill or use the CIA method right ?

As ICP stated earlier, you still need to mill.

And when u say 2/1 you mean (as a example) 20g perchlorate and 10g Al right (just making sure) ??

Yep.

Just to avoid any more confusion about flash powder compositions,

you can stoichiometrically find the exact amounts needed for perfect oxidation.

Adding a higher ratio of aluminum just makes a brighter flash.

3 KClO4 + 8 Al -----|> 3 KCl + 4 Al2O3

1 mole of KClO4 = 138.55

138.55 x 3 = 415.65

Therefore, 3 moles of KClO4 = 415.65

1 mole of Al = 26.98

26.98 x 8 = 215.84

Therefore, 8 moles of Al = 215.84

415.65 [3 moles of KClO4] + 215.84 [8 moles of Al] = 631.49.

(215.84 / 631.49) x 100= 34.17948% (Al)

(415.65 / 631.49) x 100= 65.82052% (KClO4)

So perfectly oxidised flash should be a ratio of approx. 34.2/65.8 of Al/KClO4 respectively.