7 replies to this topic

[JackFlash]

Hi all

This is more of a curiosity type question rather than something that I am about to do so please do not savage me for suggesting something stupid here.

I realise I am a complete novice and really need to get some standard compositions under my belt before trying to invent anything new quite just yet.

However

I was wondering how some other powdered elemental substances perform as there are several others that are never mentioned that I am curious to know about.

I am sure I am not the first to have thought about trying these and anything of any merit would be mentioned frequently unless the experimenter vapourised himself before he could pass the info on.

The elements in question are:

Nickel powder
Chromium powder
Cobalt powder
Molybdenum powder
Copper powder (this is probably reasonable)
Indium powder (violet?)
Tantalum powder
Tungsten powder (probably too high a mp)

All of these are available at not too prohibitive a cost.
Just curious really and could anyone advise please.

Thanks people.

[Creepin_pyro]

Copper powder is commonly used in blue/green stars and also some strobe formulas...

I have no experience of the others on your list, other than Tungsten, which I couldn't get to burn atall.

[Bonny]

I have no experience of the others on your list, other than Tungsten, which I couldn't get to burn atall.

The extremely high melting poin is why it is used for the electrode in TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding.

[Asteroid]

Isn't indium around £400 per kg?

[JackFlash]

Isn't indium around £400 per kg?

Yeah I didn't notice the amount dropped from 100g prices for the others to 10g prices for indium.

Also on further research most of these have very high mps except molybdenum.
The others much higher than Al and Mg anyway.
Barring molybdenum they are all higher than Fe and Cu too.

Was just a poorly thought through curiosity question.

I think Ni comes next after Cu so you would most likley need a very hot mix to more than likley just get another white.

However I may just be talking bollocks cos I currently know nowt.

Edited by JackFlash, 17 May 2009 - 01:05 AM.

[Arthur Brown]

While certain exotics have a functional value to match their price, most don't! It's one thing doing small pyro as a hobby, but business pyro for a profit cannot afford exotic elements. I've been offered a good blue colourant, BUT it's about £1 per gramme! It's not really viable for fireworks.

[a_bab]

Just for my curiosity, what blue colorant were you offered if you don't mind? Some indium/cesium compound maybe?

[pyrotrev]

I made a nice pink glitter with some CsHCO3 ..... wouldn't like to have to do it commecially though!

Edited by pyrotrev, 18 May 2009 - 12:16 PM.