I have been experimenting with using different nitrates for blackpowder/lift powder, and I would like to share this information with the forum.

Note: All stoichiometric calculations were done by myself to find the best percentages, these aren't recipies from any book.

Standard blackpowder:

74.8% KNO3 13.4% C 11.8% S

Not friction or shock sensitive, burns with an orange flame; the normal properties of blackpowder, used as the control group.

Barium nitrate blackpowder:

79.3% Ba(NO3)2 10.9% C 9.8% S

Slightly shock sensitive, not friction sensitive as near as I can tell, burns with a light green/orange flame. More smoke than control.

Strontium nitrate blackpowder:

75.6% Sr(NO3)2 12.9% C 11.5% S

Not shock sensitive nor friction sensitive as near as I can tell, burns with a red/orange flame. Approximately the same amount of smoke as control.

While the control group is the easiest on the budget, the usage of other nitrates for blackpowder seems to be an option if necessary or desired. Barium nitrate and strontium nitrate compositions have moderately toxic smoke; when experimenting with compositions using either, take precautions not to inhale any substantial quantity of smoke.

[This message has been edited by Third_Rail (edited 07-31-2003).]

you shouldn't inhale any kinda smoke period ...

but that is irrelivant..

good job in experimenting with diffrent nitrates im glad to see some people out there testign and playing around with diffrent mixtures



-warweed12

EDIT: kinda tipsy and missed a couple of letters

[This message has been edited by warweed12 (edited 08-03-2003).]

Which black powder burned fastest (im assuming KNO3)?

Yes, the KNO3 bp burned fastest by my eye.

were all these ball milled?

No, I ballmilled the components, but not the mix together, as one is shock sensitive and I wanted to get the results of the mixes being under the same conditions.

I Know its a little dangerous, but what about mixing potassium clorate or potassium perchlorate as the "nitrates". Since these are somewhat powerfull oxidizers, wouldn't these work good?

Chlorate BP would be a very bad idea, as the sulfur in the standard mix would make it extremely sensitive. Remove the sulfur, and you've got H3.

quote:Originally posted by Wozzles:

I Know its a little dangerous, but what about mixing potassium clorate or potassium perchlorate as the "nitrates". Since these are somewhat powerfull oxidizers, wouldn't these work good?

Well, the entire point of this series of experiments was to see if other nitrates would work well. Also, I used ammonium nitrate/potassium nitrate/charcoal to great effect, although that composition is in the PFP database, so I didn't include it with my series.

Anyone try Ammonium Nitrate?



Fuck Fuck Fuck I just love how stupid I am.

Everyone do me a favor and laugh at me.

[This message has been edited by deadsexy (edited 08-02-2003).]

I've got some Sodium Nitrate i'm planning to test in a BP mix. I think that would be basicly the some thing as KNO3, because all i'm really doing is substituting Na for K neithor of which really play an important role in the reaction. Has anyone tried this?

It'll work. You don't even need to do any real adjustment to the ratios (although if you really want to, you can adjust for the lesser atomic weight of Na).

You'll have to be careful to store it in a tightly closed container, though -- NaNO3 is very hygroscopic (absorbs water from air).

Ooo, thanx for telling me NaNO3 is hygroscopic, it didn't evn say that on the box. That woulda sucked if i had left that open.