17 replies to this topic

[AdmiralDonSnider]

How pure do chlorates and perchlorates have to be for use in fireworks? Some impurities such as chlorides do not enhance color and any sodium would be detrimental to colored stars?!

I got an offer talking about 99,3% pure KClO3 and KClO4, a lot cheaper than purer material. Are both practically useable?
Until which percentage is "technical grade" practically allowed?

Thanks

[Arthur Brown]

The relevance of the purity figure is only part of the story! Does the spec list the major impurities? Can you remove the hazardous impurities?

[AdmiralDonSnider]

I know what you mean, but even skylighter doesn´t list these. I don´t know any source that lists it. No idea what the rest contains.

[digger]

I know what you mean, but even skylighter doesn´t list these. I don´t know any source that lists it. No idea what the rest contains.

I suppose the one to watch out for on the perc is chlorate contamination, easy enough to test for. Other than that 99.3% pure should be more than good enough as far as I am aware.

The one that I have found that makes a big difference regarding purity is Strontium Nitrate (I know that was not strictly the question asked), I have a few grades and the less pure one seems to be far more hygroscopic for whatever reason (maybe calcium nitrate contamination?).

[AdmiralDonSnider]

That´s interesting, Digger. I´ll ask for this one. However, as far as I understand this kind of contamination it will mainly present a safety and not a performance (color) problem, which has to be concerned with sulfides or AP.
Interesting fact about Sr(NO3)2: maybe it also contains some sodium salts...

[marble]

The major contaminant for chlorate's and perchlorate's electrolytically produced will be chloride ions, depending on the type they can screw up colors fairly easily. There should be zero chlorate in commercial perchlorate's.

[AdmiralDonSnider]

Yes, the KCl content of potassium chlorate seems to be particularly important for colour production I think. I sent the guy an email, maybe he sends data soon, as he analyzed it...

Edited by AdmiralDonSnider, 08 May 2008 - 03:22 PM.

[Mumbles]

There is someone over on passfire doing some testing of perc and sr nitrate right now with real commercial instruments. It should be interesting to see the results. He's american, but the results may be useful. I'd think that anything from Nitroparis would be exceptional quality for you guys though.

[MDH]

A small percentage of chlorate adds inherent danger so it is recommended that you try to get as pure as possible... chloride in chlorate, I don't find as much of a problem, 1-2% doesn't do anything to colour flares.

[Mumbles]

I honestly think that chlorate, or metal salt, contamination is what made some of the "best" perchlorates so reactive. I've used reasonably pure perchlorates, but the swedish material is still some of the strongest I've ever used.

[marble]

I have a small amount of spanish perc and its great, you can tell that you are getting a raw product thats very pure.

I may have a opportunity to get a few kilos of American domestic, any ideas as to what its like? I don't think its the shit firefox used to sell.

[knackers]

hey guys, as the very safe and cautious individual i am, i recently decided to make my own kclo4, ( impossible to obtain where i live ) i did hours upon hours of cross reference research before my attempt. I have a 2lt perc cell with a pt anode and ti cath' and have produced about 2Lb of what i thought was k perc, concidering as i was harvesting my yield i was boiling it in hcl for about 30 min then bumping up the ph with NaOH then filtering. My fist test was with dark indian blackhead Al, 70 ; 30 and had magnificent results far above my dreams and expectations, ''But'' then i did a rudimentary test of my kclo4, with sucrose and con h2so4 and was horrified to see it burst into life with brilliant purple flames confirming to me i had a unknown % of kclo3, indigo carmen is unavailable to me and methylene blue indicates perchlorate present, my delemer is either boiling in hcl don't work or i did it wrong, i now use this stuff as kclo3 but would prefer kclo4, any suggestions on purification would be greatly appreciated, regards phill

[Bonny]

hey guys, as the very safe and cautious individual i am, i recently decided to make my own kclo4, ( impossible to obtain where i live ) i did hours upon hours of cross reference research before my attempt. I have a 2lt perc cell with a pt anode and ti cath' and have produced about 2Lb of what i thought was k perc, concidering as i was harvesting my yield i was boiling it in hcl for about 30 min then bumping up the ph with NaOH then filtering. My fist test was with dark indian blackhead Al, 70 ; 30 and had magnificent results far above my dreams and expectations, ''But'' then i did a rudimentary test of my kclo4, with sucrose and con h2so4 and was horrified to see it burst into life with brilliant purple flames confirming to me i had a unknown % of kclo3, indigo carmen is unavailable to me and methylene blue indicates perchlorate present, my delemer is either boiling in hcl don't work or i did it wrong, i now use this stuff as kclo3 but would prefer kclo4, any suggestions on purification would be greatly appreciated, regards phill

I can't really help you with this one, BUT, there is a whole thread devoted to perchlorate synthesis "right here" in the chemistry section. Take a look through there and maybe you'll find some info.

[Potassium chlorate]

I honestly think that chlorate, or metal salt, contamination is what made some of the "best" perchlorates so reactive. I've used reasonably pure perchlorates, but the swedish material is still some of the strongest I've ever used.

Was the guy's first name Hans by any chance?

[Mumbles]

ummmm, ok. Care to explain a bit more? I have no idea what you're talking about.