19 replies to this topic

[Mumbles]

Titanium can make the same sort of brocade glitters is what I was saying. Outside of specialized applications in proximate pyro, it's not economical to use zirconium in pyrotechnics, even if only for exhibition shells. Even in proximate pyro, zirconium is used for only the most extreme effects. If you max out a Ti gerb at say 80 feet, using zirconium will allow you to hit maybe 100ft.

[PyroCreationZ]

I've heard of zirconium in pyro but don't think I've ever seen it myself.
You don't happen to have a video Ener?

[dr thrust]

i wanted to try zirconium myself, after seeing a blurry rocket video on youtube, which has now been deleted.
i found it very hard to find, so give up!
there is a nice video here!
of zirconium sheet being cut , you get to see the white sparks real close

Edited by dr thrust, 15 April 2011 - 09:50 PM.

[Peret]

Finely divided zirconium is very dangerous. From Hardt:

The hazards of handling and storing zirconium scrap frequently outweigh any savings to be gained by salvaging it. Such material is best disposed of by burning. Disposal of old or waste zirconium powder, which is packed either wet or dry in closed containers, presents additional hazards when attempts are made to open the containers. Particularly risky is the "digging" out of zirconium which may have settled. Whereas it is considered a safe practice to douse or flood zirconium "fines" with at least five times its weight of water, once the zirconium has settled and caked, one cannot really assume that the metal is still in contact with excess water. In this case the safest procedure is to burn the scrap. If this is not practical, an attempt can be made to dislodge the cake by prolonged tumbling of the containers. When zirconium is wetted with water, an oxide layer (see below) is formed, which protects the particles from further oxidation. Unless the water is locally present in excess, the initial heat may be sufficient to boil off the moisture and so trigger a run-away reaction.
,,,,
Numerous instances of spontaneous ignitions of zirconium powder in both open and sealed drums have been reported. Zirconium powder handling or processing operations such as grinding, washing, drying, screening, weighing, blending, etc., should be conducted under an inert atmosphere; nitrogen is not useful as noted previously.

[ener]

I've heard of zirconium in pyro but don't think I've ever seen it myself.
You don't happen to have a video Ener?

I had one, but deleted it fomr my computer. There was a good movie of it on youtube, but can't find it.