823 replies to this topic

[spanner]

Shimizu Green Negative Explosive
Reference: Text: Fireworks Principles and Practices Revision: 3rd Edition Author: Ronald Lancaster Chapter: 6: Chemistry of Fireworks Compositions Page: 149
percent parts component
45.45% 50 Magnesium (-80 mesh)
22.73% 25 Epsom Salts
22.73% 25 Barium Sulfate
9.09% 10 Parlon
Mix and granulate with nitrocellulose solution.

Shimizu Orange Negative Explosive
Reference: Text: Fireworks Principles and Practices Revision: 3rd Edition Author: Ronald Lancaster Chapter: 6: Chemistry of Fireworks Compositions Page: 149
percent parts component
45.45% 50 Magnesium (-80 mesh)
22.73% 25 Epsom Salts
22.73% 25 Calcium Sulfate Hemihydrate
9.09% 10 Parlon
Mix and granulate with nitrocellulose solution.

Shimizu Red Negative Explosive
Reference: Text: Fireworks Principles and Practices Revision: 3rd Edition Author: Ronald Lancaster Chapter: 6: Chemistry of Fireworks Compositions Page: 149
percent parts component
45.45% 50 Magnesium (-80 mesh)
22.73% 25 Epsom Salts
22.73% 25 Strontium Sulfate
9.09% 10 Parlon
Mix and granulate with nitrocellulose solution.

Shimizu Yellow Negative Explosive
Reference: Text: Fireworks Principles and Practices Revision: 3rd Edition Author: Ronald Lancaster Chapter: 6: Chemistry of Fireworks Compositions Page: 149
percent parts component
45.45% 50 Magnesium (-80 mesh)
45.45% 50 Epsom Salts
9.09% 10 Glass (powder)
Mix and granulate with nitrocellulose solution.

Shimizu White Negative Explosive
Reference: Text: Fireworks Principles and Practices Revision: 3rd Edition Author: Ronald Lancaster Chapter: 6: Chemistry of Fireworks Compositions Page: 149
percent component
50.00% Magnesium (-80 mesh)
50.00% Epsom Salts
Mix and granulate with nitrocellulose solution.

Shimizu Negative Explosive
Reference: Text: Fireworks Principles and Practices Revision: 3rd Edition Author: Ronald Lancaster Chapter: 6: Chemistry of Fireworks Compositions Page: 148
percent component
60.00% Magnesium (-60 mesh)
40.00% Epsom Salts, Anhydrous
Mix and granulate with nitrocellulose solution.
Shimizu comments that the explosive force is about 12% that of BP.

Edited by spanner, 30 November 2008 - 07:24 PM.

[TCblastmaster]

Thanks Spanner

These are clearly alternative methods of producing colour comps based on the principle of negative expl***ves ( comps that don't use a traditional oxidiser in the reaction). I would guess that they are not classified as flash comps- correct me if I am wrong.

The abstract of Shimizu's presentation at a symposium was for an effective flash comp based on the principle, an alternative to using more sensitive varieties, ie. KP/Al, etc., as the noise units for aerial devices.

Despite this the comps are fascinating as I feel they shouldn't really work. I was astounded by the results of my initial experiments. The stuff was nearly there in terms of an almost instantaneous burn rate but was blindingly bright.

For me it is back to the more conventional I'm afraid - tried and 'trusted' with appropriate precautions.

TC

[RFD]

Hi all,i'm looking for a tried and tested report comp that can be pumped as a small star so i can roll a colour or colours on it,listed below are the comps ive got.

Pot Nitrate 50
sulphur 30
aluminium 20 i used german dark and boric acid 1

Redgum +5 Bound with alcohol

this by Davis from the PFP database,

Pot Perch 34
charcoal air 33
Red gum 33

And this by Allen also from PFP

Pot Perch 55
Sulphur 18
Ant trisulfide 27

Have tried the first comp and made small 5mm stars,dried them off and tested a couple unconfined one on some greenmix and one on some commercial Bp, both occasions they were dissapointingly unreactive the greenmix one struggled to ignite, perhaps my method of construction killed of any potential, presumably if i did a star gun test possible detonation in the tube may happen so only alternative is roll a colour on but i"m a bit loathe to do this if there gonna be duds,will try the other two comps with a binder for the Allen one, has anybody got any better ideas or would an easier option be to mill some commercial BP add some Eckhart and a binder maybe Dextrin or red gum and use that as a pumped report mix.

[ExplosiveCoek]

So you want your stars to explode at the end? No way your going to get that done with those compo's. You'll be needing dragon eggs.

[RFD]

Thanks for that,i was so busy complicating it for myself i missed the obvious.

[Arthur Brown]

Look also a croisettes and the special tools to make them

[MDH]

Creating small paper packets filled with basic flash and delayed by flying fish fuse can also make a similar effect.

[ExplosiveCoek]

But then you are actually making beraqs, which is quite a lot work to get done well .

[MDH]

No. Beraqs are a different story. I am talking about simple paper packets made of craft paper filled with 100-200mg of a strong flash (trisulfide/al/perch, shimizu), usually with about 3-4 layers of paper and a flying fish fuse coming out of each device. Perhaps these little devices could also be dipped in a glue of some kind.

[enabe]

hello

I have read a pig part of the 42 sites before this, but couldnt find answers for my basic questions, but if they are there i am sorry for asking again.
i am reffering to amount on 1-10grams depending on varius things. I prefer using KClO4 as the oxydizer as i have some exsperience with this.

1. what flash powder mixture is the safest to mix under normal circumstances, store for a day og two and then ignite?
2. what flash powder mixture has the highest expanding rate / is the most powerful?
3. what would you recomend giving these two factors?

4. what is the reactions formula for the recomended flash powder (if its not obvius)

I have before tried with KClO4 and P as this shuld be the best of what i havde herd, but i dont like to work with P, so im looking for an alternative.

hope you can help me, if you need futher information just ask.
I apologize for my english, and hope you understand.

[MDH]

1. Potassium Nitrate flash with boric acid and fatty bright flake aluminum
2. Permanganate, but it is useless because it quickly degrades in quality and is rather unstable.
3. Potassium Perchlorate and -325 bright aluminum with CaCO3 stabilizer, as is used by Chinese consumer fireworks factories.

[Potassium chlorate]

1. Potassium Nitrate flash with boric acid and fatty bright flake aluminum
2. Permanganate, but it is useless because it quickly degrades in quality and is rather unstable.
3. Potassium Perchlorate and -325 bright aluminum with CaCO3 stabilizer, as is used by Chinese consumer fireworks factories.

I beg to differ.

1. Barium nitrate and magnesium would be almost as safe or even safer; furthermore, you can use crystalline barium nitrate and it will still work very good.

2. 64% KClO4
22.5% German Black Al
10% S
3.5% Sb2S3
is at least one of the most powerful mixtures.

3. 66-70% KClO4 and 30-34% German Black Al.

[enabe]

I am not very familier with german dark alu, what makes it diffrent from regular Al ?
combined with KClO4.
and what is its dangers? ( on danish: R- og S-sætninger)

EDIT: and thanks for the answers

Edited by enabe, 26 December 2008 - 12:21 AM.

[pyrotrev]

German Dark Al is a very fine flake aluminium, something down in the not many um size - if you grind most metals (even those that are silvery in normal sizes) very fine the powder starts to look dark - some dark aluminiums also have small amounts of carbonaceous material in them that enhances the "darkness". If you want a specification do a search for Eckart 5413H, that's a typical product, though equivalents are made in countries other than Germany. The dangers are that only 10 grams or so of such flash powder can remove important parts of your body, and larger quantities can leave you dead: so it needs to be handled very carefully with a lot of respect!.

Edited by pyrotrev, 27 December 2008 - 12:30 AM.

[spanner]

To add just a bit to pyrotrev's description, the flake form gives many times the surface area of atomized or granular form of aluminum. This, combined with the small size (Eckhart 5413H is said to be 3 micron), is why it and others like it are so reactive.

IMHO, if you're just starting out a much better choice would be something along the lines of 325 mesh atomized (aka spherical) aluminum powder. It has more uses than the dark flake (although fast flash powder is not one of them) and costs much less to boot.

Fast flash powder is interesting for about 5 minutes. After that initial "blast", you will quickly find yourself dreading the mixing and handling of the stuff. At least that's my experience with it.