Testing flash powders for homemade firecrackers
Entry posted by mx5kevin in Testing flash powders for homemade firecrackers
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Testing flash powders (for homemade firecrackers) from the most known ingredients at home.
Sulfur, Sb2S3 as catalyst increased performance highly in all cases. In the case of sulfur, 10% catalyst was ideal. KClO4 Al 70/30 and KClO4 Mg/Al 50:50 they operated with significantly worse efficiency without a catalyst. Close metal powder and oxidizer ratios they operated with much better efficiency than higher oxidizer an lower metal powder combinations.
The winner was Potassium Perchlorate Aluminum Sulfur 50/40/10% (3-7 micron aluminum for small firecrackers). And 50:50 mixed 30 micron Blue aluminim or another aluminum under 40 micron with 3-7 micron dark aluminum powder for bigger salutes (above 10g). It has unimportant advantages over other flash powders. This flash powder is the king of firecrackers and ground salutes after 10 year research.
1. The best proven flash powders what I recommend best.
Extreme:
KClO4 Al S 50/40/10 3-7 micron dark aluminum required for small firecrackers and 50:50 30-40 micron Blue Aluminum and 3-7 micron dark mixture for bigger salutes (above 10g) to get a huge effect. The best flash powder for firecrackers I've ever seen. Does not need to protect the aluminum with boric acid in this composition. It can be made safely, for friction not particularly sensitive and have a good storage stability.
The voice is very sharp and extremely loud, the effect bright white gloss. For bigger salutes are important to use 30-40 micron aluminum and 3-7 micron dark 50:50 mixture to get huge explosion effects. Sulfur significantly increases performance, and the high proportion of aluminum for the effect. The ratio brings the best efficiency with both ultra-fine and coarser like homemade aluminum. I use this the best flash powder I know.
Ba(NO3)2 KClO4 Al S 30/30/30/10 with 30-40 micron aluminum (Blue) and 3-7 micron (Dark) 50:50 mixture (above 10g). Here need to coat the aluminum with 2% boric acid (what dissolved in water and the Al dried later) important! This was the stun grenade formula How to Build Flash/Stun Grenades By George Dmitrieff and a photoflash powder with sulfur. Barium nitrate with aluminum are much more brighter than magesium or magnalium.
Brighter than the previous version, have the same sound but less powerful. In small firecrackers have no advantage compared to KClO4/Al/S 50 40 10.
Moderate:
NaNO3 Mg S 50/40/10 with 400 mesh fine magnesium powder. Here need to coat the Mg with 4% boiled linseed oil and dry it to get a hard strength coat before use or the chemicals will attack the Mg! And the NANO3 must be dried after grinded and before use at 150-200°C to get free from moisture.
Moderate loud composition have a characteristic yellow bright effect (this flash effect are not white). Slightly stronger than KNO3 but much more weaker than Ba(NO3)2, or Sr(NO3)2. The brightest flash after Ba(NO3)2 and Sr(NO3)2. NaNO3 are hygroscopic, this is disadvantageous to storage.
Moderate:
KNO3 Mg S 50/40/10 with 400 mesh fine magnesium powder. Here need to coat the Mg with 4% boiled linseed oil and dry it to get a hard strength coat before use or the chemicals will attack the Mg!
Default flash powder with moderate sound bright effect nothing extra. Ba(NO3)2, Sr(NO3)2 much more stronger than this flash powder.
Extreme white bright effect with powerful sound:
Ba(NO3)2 Mg S 50/40/10 with 400 mesh fine magnesium powder. Here need to coat the Mg with 4% boiled linseed oil and dry it to get a hard strength coat before use or the chemicals will attack the Mg!
Extreme white bright flash powder with powerful but not extreme sound. The brightest nitrate based flash powder i know. It's much better worth it than KNO3 for the extreme light, and the power. The best nitrate based flash powder for firecrackers, ground salutes. Much more stronger than KNO3 and NaNO3 versions.
Strontium white powerful:
Sr(NO3)2 Mg S 50/40/10 with 400 mesh fine magnesium powder. Here need to coat the Mg with 4% boiled linseed oil and dry it to get a hard strength coat before use or the chemicals will attack the Mg!
Slightly stronger than Ba(NO3)2 but Ba(NO3)2 are better for firecrackers. It has a stable white effect the best Ba(NO3)2 Mg S alternative. From Sr(NO3)2 you can not make Glusatz.
All nitrates worked properly with magnesium, each is significantly weaker with aluminum or does not work for firecrackers. KNO3, Ba(NO3)2, NaNO3, Sr(NO3)2, they all require magnesium (except Ba(NO3)2 with KClO4!). Aluminum based flash powders are much more brighter than magnesium or magnalium versions. Ba(NO3)2 with KClO4 using aluminum works the best magnalium 50:50 alloy are less effective. Magnalium with only nitrates are weak for firecrackers.
The used -400mesh magnesium powder current mesh size in the tests: ballmilled, 40 μm / 400 mesh, fraction 40-4μm - 0,2%, fraction 20-40μm - 67%, fraction <20μm - 32,8%. At 40 microns -400 mesh, the finer the particle size the better, the ideal Mg particle size would be around 20 microns. The grain size reached a maximum of 40 microns, but the factory metal powder contained a much finer grain size. Before you buy metal powder, check exactly what size particles it contains.
The used Blue Aluminum powder current mesh size in the tests: 99,5% Aluminum: > 250 μm: 0.6 %, 150 - 250 μm: 1.7 %, 74 - 150 μm: 5.1%, 37 – 74 μm: 7.5 %, 20 – 37 μm: 25.0 %, 10 – 19 μm: 29.0 %, 4 – 10 μm: 26.0 %, 1 – 3 μm: 6.0 %
Extreme:
KClO4 Mg:Al (50:50) alloy (325-400 mesh) S 50/40/10. Here need to coat the Magnalium with 4% boiled linseed oil and dry it to get a hard strength coat before use or the chemicals will attack the Mg!
Not stronger than the KClO4/Al/S 5/4/1 version light is less bright and smaller effects can be achieved with it if the metal powder is too fine. More sensitive to friction than aluminum. The advantage is that the 50:50 Mg/Al alloy easy to grinded, powdered at home unlike Magnesium or Aluminum powder.
In larger salutes if the KClO4 mixed with Ba(NO3)2 using magnalium a 30 Ba(NO3)2 30 KClO4 30 Mg/Al (not finer than 325-400 mesh 40-45 micron) 10 Sulfur are much more effective or using Sr(NO3)2 than the pure KClO4 version! Similar to KClO4 Al S and Ba(NO3)2 KClO4 Al S versions but only with the nitrate.
Extreme:
KClO3 Al 70/30 (3-7 micron under 10g salutes and 60/40 ratio for 30 micron blue+2-7 micron dark aluminum 50:50 above 10g salutes)
This is a KClO4/Al/S alternative and almost have the same power but much weaker. Much more powerful than the non KClO4 based flash powders. Much more sensitive than KClO4/Al/S have similar sensitivity like KClO4/Mg/S. The friction sensitivity of the KClO3 was reduced by heating after grinding to 250-300°C to be free of moisture and chloric acid temporarily and added 5% KHCO3 potassium-bicarbonate! Excelent for firecrackers and booster too with 3-7 micron aluminum. KClO3 with MgAl, Mg, Sulfur, Sb2S3 are extremely sensitive for friction. I couldn't find any other KClO4 alternative what have similar power. Does not need and not recommended using boric acid to the aluminum! This flash powder power cannot be increased with sulfur or Sb2S3, or much more reactive metal powders because with those will be unstable and extremely sensitive for friction the composition! For large salutes the KClO3 (or KClO4) 70/30 the sound was OK, but the visual effect with 3-7 micron dark Al was poor. When KClO3/Al 60/40 ratio and 1:1 Dark+Blue aluminum mixture are used in the composition this improved the quality of the visual effect size and brightness in large salutes.
For bigger salutes (above 10g): Only with KClO4 40-45 micron magnalium 50:50, 3-7 micron+ 30-40 micron 50:50 mixed Aluminum (Blue, atomized), 40 micron magnesium+ 30-40 micron aluminum (Blue, atomized) 50:50 mixture make huge stable flash effects. For small firecrackers (under 10g): 40 micron Mg/Al, 3-7 micron Al, 40 micron 325 mesh Mg, working the best with KClO4. Too fine metal powders with KClO4 spectacularly reduce the flash effect in bigger salutes especially with 325-400 mesh (and much finer) Mg, and 3-7 micron Dark Aluminum. Too coarse or of an inappropriate proportion of fineness metal powders mixtures are weak, slow for flash powder. The aluminum in the aluminum mixture must kept under 40 micron, and must be not firefly bright flake, i used atomized or 30 micron Blue Aluminum are ideal.
2. What I don't recommend did not work:
KClO4 Mg S 50/40/10 Here need to coat the Magnesium with 4% boiled linseed oil and dry it to get a hard stregh coat before use or the chemicals will highly attack the Mg!
The effect is unimaginably weak, you will see absolutely nothing in larger firecrackers if the Mg are too fine. For friction very sensitive compared to other written above flash powders. In firecracker not stronger than KClO4 Al S 5 4 1 with 3-7 micron dark aluminum. Sulfur minimally increases the sensitivity to friction here, It is almost the same sensitive without sulfur.
Which were very weak for firecrackers:
BaSO4 Mg and KNO3 Al S I find them very weak for firecrackers.
Antimony trisulfide Sb2S3 based flash powders: 60 KClO4 30 Al (dark 3-7 micron) 10 Sb2S3 for boosters are much more powerful, brisant than the classic KClO4/Al 70 30. In homemade setup much more worth it than the classic 70/30. This KClO4 Al Sb2S3 composition are used in high quality extreme loud and bright mini and 0,3g (maximum 0,5g) match crackers by the factory setup. Used in another compositions where 50/40/10 ratio are used this can changed to 50/35/15. In 60/30/10 ratios do not change the composition. KClO4/Al/S 50/40/10 are same good for booster. Compared to sulfur powder Sb2S3 are costly, in the case of using KClO4 it does not increase performance much more than sulfur. Does not cool down the flash powder like sulfur this way burning higher temperature. When sulfur are used 10% are not reduces the burning speed, when Sb2S3 this can be 15% when the metal powder and Sb2S3 ratio are not too close each other 35% metal powder 15% Sb2S3, or 30% metal powder 10% Sb2S3. For flash powder Sb2S3 are too costly the price are 3X higher and not worth it compared to sulfur. Highly recommended to use sulfur in all flash powder what used in ground salutes, firecrackers, booster. Without it are much weaker the flash powders. In the factory setup in high quality extreme bright, and extreme loud European mini firecrackers, match crackers (0,5g and under) Sb2S3 or sulfur always used for the flash powder!
Which were dangerous, unstable and non professional:
Ba(ClO3)2 Al S extremely sensitive to friction and greenish (half with Ba(NO3)2, or Sr(NO3)2 reduces sensitivity but not too much). KClO3/Al/S Even the most reliable of the most dangerous flash powders. Very sensitive to minor friction (extremely powerful have the same sound and effect than the KClO4 version performance is theoretically weaker but technically you will se nothing difference in sound and effect). KClO3/Al 70/30 much more weaker and much less sensitive without sulfur. KClO3/Mg very sensitive for friction, Na2S2O8 and K2S2O8 Mg with moderate sound absolute a non professional flash powder self-ignition may occur very easily during storage. Na and K persulfate are worse oxidizers than nitrates like KNO3. KMnO4 Al S (60/30/10) with moderate sound and power absolute not have a storage stability. Potassium permanganate stronger oxidizer than nitrates. And louder flash powder can be made from it with aluminum powder than from nitrates with magnesium. After KClO3 and chlorates (Ba(ClO3)2) this was the most strongest flash powder. The friction sensitivity of the KClO3 was reduced by heating after grinding to 250-300°C to be free of moisture and chloric acid temporarily and added 5% KHCO3 potassium-bicarbonate! And added 1/4 KHCO to sulfur when tested! The tested chlorates with aluminum much less sensitive than magnesium. Magnesium with sulfur without oxidizer give a fast flash too this makes it even more dangerous!
The power of flash powders for firecrackers: The Nintrate/Magnesium/Sulfur flash powders in power are almost same in power. High-powered firecrackers cannot be made from them. They are working in firecrakers, but compared with KClO4 their performance and voice are below average and weak. The most spectacular was Ba(NO3)2 what have a extreme bright light and a good sound, alternative for this are Sr(NO3)2 with the similar power and quality bright white effect. For quality salutes and firecrackers i recommending to use minimum Sr(NO3)2, or Ba(NO3)2, firecrackers with KNO3 and NaNO3 are a lower quality category. In Normal, Larger, Black Powder, sized firecracker paper tubes the Ba(NO3)2 Mg S flash powder produced exceptionally good quality in terms of absolute bright white light and sound what are similar to KClO4. If i didn't have KClO4, I would choose this for bright loud firecrackers. For safe high-powered firecrackers required KClO4 with (Sb2S3 or sulfur), aluminum. KClO4 with Mg, Al, MgAl gives a relative almost same power in presence of sulfur, and the safe choice are aluminum. KClO4 with Mg/Al alloy 50:50 and pure magnesium are much more sensitive than aluminum. I did not find a safe KClO4 alternative, for extremely strong firecrackers.
The paper tubes:
The paper tubes made from copy paper, glued with 40% water glass (Sodium Silicate solution). The wall thickness are calculated from the tube internal diameter and used 8-10% paper thickness from the internal diameter. Example in a 40mm internal diameter tube are used 3,2-4mm paper wall thickness. The sodium silicate gluing made strength, rigid, hard paper tubes which proved to be very ideal for firecrackers. Thicker but not overly thick hard, solid tubes are ideal for firecrackers. The wall should be more thicker rather than thinner when we make it, and uniform thickness with deep end plugging or the firecracker will be quarter as strong. The cylindrical shape works with the best efficiency because the paper tears evenly. With the triangular shape, for example, where the paper distribution is not uniform, I experienced a significant difference in performance. Through the mini (milligram) firecrackers the medium and bigger firecrackers the water glass+copy paper combination it works very well. For bigger paper tubes (masking paper from paint shop), kraft paper with wood glue (Wood Glue/Water 3:1 dilution ratio) very good paper tubes could also be made. The exact paper size was calculated for the current product. I experienced it at factory paper tubes that the paper does not tear evenly, the wall thickness is not correct, and weaker, in many cases I achieved much lower efficiencies with factory made paper tubes. Especially with them, they break in a spiral.
My blog with more description (Hungarian): https://mx5-kevin.blogspot.com or https://sufnipiro.wordpress.com
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Tests: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/X6adxEKbK8Ky/
The flash powder (with tests): https://www.bitchute.com/video/aElYEUtifJZB/ or https://odysee.com/@mx5kevin:a/How-to-make-powerful-firecracker-flash-powders-and-fine-magnesium-aluminium-powder:e
The flash powder (ball mill process): https://www.bitchute.com/video/Uapx1fZZdyJx/ or https://odysee.com/@mx5kevin:a/How-To-make-Flash-Powder-with-ball-mill:c
Testing the KClO4/Al/S 50/40/10% (with 3-5 micron Dark Aluminum powder) in homemade mini match crackers: https://www.bitchute.com/video/jVTqaAhMONRL/ or https://odysee.com/@mx5kevin:a/dorzsfejespetarda:c
Simple ID 7mm (made the tube by wrapped on the pencil). The firecrackers tube made from 2x(70mm wide x210mm long) copy paper, gypsum 20mm, visco fuse 80mm long 2mm wide, glued with 40% sodium silicate solution. Filled with sifted loose texture flash powder.
Tube parameters for firecrackers: From copy paper glued with 40% sodium silicate solution
Normal: ID: 5mm tube made 2 piece W:70mmx L:145mm paper gypsum 20mm Visco fuse 2mmx80mm (cc ≈0,9g Flash power)
Larger: ID: 7mm tube made 2 piece W:70mmx L:209mm paper gypsum 20mm Visco fuse 2mmx80mm (cc ≈1,2g Flash powder)
Black Powder or mega (2mm granular willow ideal): ID 15mm tube made 6 piece W: 105mmx L:150mm paper gypsum 30mm Visco fuse 2mmx100mm (8g Fash powder if FP are used instead of BP). Or from a 1mx25m masking paper (craft paper) 1 meter total paper length are required.
Ground Salute: ID: 25mm tube wall 3-4mm, gypsum 30mm, length 150mm tube wall calculated (the wall thickness must be much more thicker than 2,5mm or the sound will be reduced, but not thicker less than 5mm maximum +2mm (5-7mm when 1mx25m masking paper (craft paper) are used instead of copy paper) or the visual effect will be reduced and a wall thicker than this does not increase the sound volume further). Flash powder 30g (Visco Fuse 500mm length (50sec delay) from 2mm visco 1cm/sec burning rate for KClO4 based FP protective distance: 50m 164 feet). For this tube 2m masking paper are used or 10 full piece copy paper what cutted half to 150mm. Above 40mm tubes IDx0,08mm minimum IDx0,10mm maximum wall thickness calculated.
KClO4/Al/S 50/40/10 in ID: 5mm Normal tube cc ≈0,9g Flash powder (extreme loud old version from aluminum foil)
KClO4/Al/S 50/40/10 Extreme loud Ground Salute 25g (aluminum foil version from cc 20 micron aluminum) mega effect with mixed aluminum or homemade aluminum from aluminum foil. The record holder are made from 30g flash 3 meter large flash effect (Dark 3-7 micron+Blue 30 micron 50:50 mixture). The mixture are worked under 40 micron aluminum. The KClO4 Ba(NO3)2 Al S 30/30/30/10 version similar with the same aluminum mixture, the magnitude of the effect is smaller but brighter. The flash powder must be loosely textured filled in the paper tube without any compression. It must be sifted through a sieve before loading to get a lose texture. If it is not made at the same time, it must be mixed because the burning rate a little bit is always different. Must be avoided for the powder to be denser at one point of the tube, or the burning speed to be different.
Edited by mx5kevin
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