5 replies to this topic

[Gary]

There is a formulation on the PFP database which includes straw charcoal as an ingredient.
I could easily make this charcoal myself (straw from a petshop). Would straw charcoal make a good substitute for willow or alder in a blackpowder-based lifting formula? Or would straw charcoal burn too fast for this purpose? If this is the case, would straw charcoal be any good as a burst charge on rice hulls to increase the burn rate even further?

[Arthur Brown]

Straw charcoal will produce BP of such sensitivity that you may well regret making it. Read some formal texts on BP.

[Mumbles]

Cocoa powder would be the term of interest. It used partially carbonized rye straw, thus the brown color of the final product. It was significantly more sensitive than any normal BP should be while providing less performance. There is a detailed account in Davis' Chemistry of Powder and Explosives.

[MDH]

Straw charcoal will produce BP of such sensitivity that you may well regret making it. Read some formal texts on BP.

That's fairly bizzare. Is it just the shape of the charcoal particles? What exactly within the straw makes this powder so sensitive?

[Creepin_pyro]

That's fairly bizzare. Is it just the shape of the charcoal particles? What exactly within the straw makes this powder so sensitive?

IIRC, it's to do with only partially carbonising (30mins) the straw, leaving a whole load of volatiles. I believe this sensetivity can be avoided to some degree by fully carbonising the straw, seem to remember a German pyro has done this with success - someone here perhaps?

[Arthur Brown]

The line from the literature that worries me is " may explode from shaking in a hesian bag" -Now something that explodes on minor shock isn't on my favoured list.