7 replies to this topic

[KingVinny]

I have noticed Ammonium Chloride has been discussed on the forum a while back but I have just got some and have this formula to make white smoke with it:

Potassium Chlorate......... 20
Ammonium Chloride............. 50
Napthalene............... 20
Charcoal ................10

I was wondering if anyone has had any success with this formula? If this composition is either not worth bothering with as it is not very good or is too unstable due to the combination of an ammonium salt and a chlorate, is there anything else I can use the NH4Cl for?

[adamw]

It is correct that Ammonium Chloride + Chlorate is unstable. You know what nasties that may react to make!!

But... it is used in industry. However I would suggest an alternate method of making a white smoke. Lots more safer mixtures are available.

[Erwin]

If you make compositions with a ammonium and a chlorate compound, do not store and/or wet it
You don't want ammonium chlorate(NH4ClO3).

I haven't tried this comp. but this is a good smoke comp.:
Potassium chlorate 5,5
Ammonium chlorid 4,8
Sugar 1,8

Most of the smoke is sublimated NH4Cl.
So you could try other oxidiser that can reachthe good temp. for sublimating de NH4Cl, so you don't have the problem of amonium chlorate being formed.

Edited by Erwin, 20 June 2005 - 07:20 PM.

[aapua]

I have noticed Ammonium Chloride has been discussed on the forum a while back but I have just got some and have this formula to make white smoke with it:

Potassium Chlorate......... 20
Ammonium Chloride............. 50
Napthalene............... 20
Charcoal ................10

I was wondering if anyone has had any success with this formula?  If this composition is either not worth bothering with as it is not very good or is too unstable due to the combination of an ammonium salt and a chlorate, is there anything else I can use the NH4Cl for?

The mixture you describe is from military sources. Just note that any form of free carbon can cause the flame and less amount of smoke. We use mixture like
KClO3 ca. 35
NH4Cl ca. 40
CaCO3 ca. 10
Rosin ca. 15
Works well.

[Valec]

I once tried a formula like the first one in this thread but with stearine instead of naphtalene and it produced a lot of smoke. The only problem was that it just smouldered very slowly, so the smoke emmission rate (?) wasn't very high (but therefor it can be burned in a paper case which just gets warm; very low risk of causing uncontrolled fire).
As long as you use potassium chlorate, the formation of ammonium chlorate ist not likely because of the solubility. But I agree that there are safer mixtures which should be prefered. Don't use sodium chlorate, it WILL result in ammonium chlorate.

Edited by Valec, 01 February 2005 - 06:33 PM.

[miniskinny]

Erm, I always hear about the dangers of ammonium chlorate, but I've never quite been specifically clued into dangers/what could result. Just curious, I certainly do not plan on making ammonium chlorate, I plan rather on avoiding that entirely. Just curious.

[Phoenix]

When not in solution, it can and does explode by itself, often without any particular provocation. Small amounts formed in compositions containing chlorate and ammonium compounds can cause ignition in this way.

[Arthur Brown]

I've just found an old formulary compiled in the 70s and they offer

White smoke;

KClO3 --- 3
lactose powder -- 2
NH4Cl -----2