OblivionFall Posted May 20, 2015 Posted May 20, 2015 Hi there, I want to try to make a bengal flare but I have a few questions. I am looking into the mixture of strontium nitrate, potassium chlorate and shellac. The problem is is that I have no idea where to get Shellac powder. I have Dextrin. I'm wondering if there's an alternative to using Shellac powder to make a Bengal Flare? Thanks
Rocketier Posted May 20, 2015 Posted May 20, 2015 (edited) Here is a list of Bengal fire composition which a Dutch guy Wouter Visser posted a long time ago.His site is long time gone aswell. I found this on canonfuse site. I doubt some of the compositions because of the lack of chlorine donors for instance Bariumnitrate, Potasiumnitrate and sulfur should give green fire.........well I don't think so no chlorine to give Bariumchlorid green effect in the flame. Shellac is not easy to obtain but if so it's guite expensive. I made some Bengal red fire pots with Buell Red KCLO4 35Strontiumcarbonate 25Magnalium (-200 mesh) 14Redgum 7Parlon 13Dextrine 525% alcohol/ 75%water Bengal fire #1Source: Chemical abstracts[14] 122, 595944Comments: Improved color, larger sparks and increased scatter radius for sparks.Preparation: Zr................................................2-5Cast iron shot....................................18-23Fe powder.........................................20-25Al powder.........................................2-5Corn dextrin binder...............................3-6Potato starch binder..............................0.5-1.5Barium nitrate....................................balanceBengal fire #2Source: Chemical abstracts[14] 122, 59595Comments: Increased combustion timePreparation: di-Buphtalate.....................................3-5Fe-powder.........................................20-29Al-powder.........................................4-7Polyvinylbutyral binder...........................11-17NH4NO3 inhibitor..................................1-4Ammonium perchlorate..............................balanceGreen bengal fire #1Source: rec.pyrotechnics. Posted by Sweden <sweden@synchron.ct.seComments:Preparation: Barium nitrate....................................80PVC...............................................10Red Gum...........................................10Green Bengal fire #2Source: "Mengen en Roeren"[6] , page 223Comments:Preparation: Barium chlorate...................................90Shellac...........................................10Green Bengal fire #3Source: "Mengen en Roeren"[6] , page 223Comments:Preparation: Barium chlorate...................................23Barium nitrate....................................59Potassium chlorate................................6Shellac...........................................10Stearic acid......................................1Green Bengal fire #4Source: "Mengen en Roeren"[6] , page 223.Comments: Burns nice and slowly leaving little residue, but not with a green color.Preparation: Barium nitrate....................................6Potassium nitrate.................................3Sulfur............................................2Blue Bengal fire #1Source: "Mengen en Roeren"[6] , page 223.Comments: This is a dangerous mixture since it contains a copperammonium complex and a chlorate.Preparation: Potassium chlorate................................6Copper ammonium sulphate..........................8Shellac...........................................1Willow charcoal...................................2Blue Bengal fire #2Source: "Mengen en Roeren"[6] , page 223.Comments: Burns moderately fast with a blueish-white color.Preparation: Potassium chlorate................................40Copper sulphate...................................8Colophonium.......................................6 Edited May 20, 2015 by Rocketier
OblivionFall Posted May 20, 2015 Author Posted May 20, 2015 Here is a list of Bengal fire composition which a Dutch guy Wouter Visser posted a long time ago.His site is long time gone aswell. I found this on canonfuse site. I doubt some of the compositions because of the lack of chlorine donors for instance Bariumnitrate, Potasiumnitrate and sulfur should give green fire.........well I don't think so no chlorine to give Bariumchlorid green effect in the flame. Shellac is not easy to obtain but if so it's guite expensive. I made some Bengal red fire pots with Buell Red KCLO4 35Strontiumcarbonate 25Magnalium (-200 mesh) 14Redgum 7Parlon 13Dextrine 525% alcohol/ 75%water Bengal fire #1Source: Chemical abstracts[14] 122, 595944Comments: Improved color, larger sparks and increased scatter radius for sparks.Preparation: Zr................................................2-5Cast iron shot....................................18-23Fe powder.........................................20-25Al powder.........................................2-5Corn dextrin binder...............................3-6Potato starch binder..............................0.5-1.5Barium nitrate....................................balanceBengal fire #2Source: Chemical abstracts[14] 122, 59595Comments: Increased combustion timePreparation: di-Buphtalate.....................................3-5Fe-powder.........................................20-29Al-powder.........................................4-7Polyvinylbutyral binder...........................11-17NH4NO3 inhibitor..................................1-4Ammonium perchlorate..............................balanceGreen bengal fire #1Source: rec.pyrotechnics. Posted by Sweden <sweden@synchron.ct.seComments:Preparation: Barium nitrate....................................80PVC...............................................10Red Gum...........................................10Green Bengal fire #2Source: "Mengen en Roeren"[6] , page 223Comments:Preparation: Barium chlorate...................................90Shellac...........................................10Green Bengal fire #3Source: "Mengen en Roeren"[6] , page 223Comments:Preparation: Barium chlorate...................................23Barium nitrate....................................59Potassium chlorate................................6Shellac...........................................10Stearic acid......................................1Green Bengal fire #4Source: "Mengen en Roeren"[6] , page 223.Comments: Burns nice and slowly leaving little residue, but not with a green color.Preparation: Barium nitrate....................................6Potassium nitrate.................................3Sulfur............................................2Blue Bengal fire #1Source: "Mengen en Roeren"[6] , page 223.Comments: This is a dangerous mixture since it contains a copperammonium complex and a chlorate.Preparation: Potassium chlorate................................6Copper ammonium sulphate..........................8Shellac...........................................1Willow charcoal...................................2Blue Bengal fire #2Source: "Mengen en Roeren"[6] , page 223.Comments: Burns moderately fast with a blueish-white color.Preparation: Potassium chlorate................................40Copper sulphate...................................8Colophonium.......................................6These are all very helpful, but I each one has an ingredient that I can't seem to get a hold of or is expensive. The Barium Nitrate/Potassium Nitrate/Sulfur one seems like one I could try out. I don't really care if it has a certain colour, to be honest with you, I'm just trying to make a flare that lights up the area around it. 1
GMetcalf Posted May 21, 2015 Posted May 21, 2015 A Barium Nitrate, Potassium Nitrate and Sulphur mix will burn white due to production of Barium Oxide in the flame. For Barium to produce a green colour, as Rocketier says, chlorine must be present in the flame for the production of the Barium Monochloride species. That said, it sounds like a fairly friendly mix to work with if you're starting out making Flare or Bengal Fire devices.
FlaMtnBkr Posted May 21, 2015 Posted May 21, 2015 If you want to light up an area and aren't concerned with a particular color, look at flare compositions instead. There are some that produce a lot of light in long burning compositions or ones that burn almost instantly that the military used for nighttime photography and closer to an artificial sun in a bomb than a firework. Be aware that metals, especially magnesium, will produce lots of UV light and to protect your eyes. Shellac is supposed to give some of the best colors, especially with barium chlorate. But other fuels can be used such as red gum, resins such as vinsol and phenolic, and lactose. Even dextrin or sulfur can be used. But different fuels have different fuel values and the proportions may need to be balanced and adjusted. Some of these fuels can also denature colors a bit and cause some colors not to look as good or pure as with other fuels. Red gum is a popular fuel but known to give a reddish tinge to colors. If you aren't concerned much with color then that shouldn't matter. I also wouldn't use expensive or hard to get chemicals if you don't care about color and are just looking for a source of light. Simple BP chems can be adjusted and may accomplish what you want especially if you add some aluminum to increase light output. Lance formulas might also be worth looking at, though they usually are colored and don't put out a lot of light.
wyzard10 Posted May 22, 2015 Posted May 22, 2015 There is a chain of stores in the Midwest called the Woodworking Store. They are a high end woodworking retailer, that caters to pro's. They sell shellac flakes by the pound for making finishes for wood. If I remember correctly it was less than $20.00 a pound for it. They may even ship.
pyrogenius007 Posted May 28, 2015 Posted May 28, 2015 Hello, I would like to know if any of the above compositions can be made into cut stars using shellac as a binder
FlaMtnBkr Posted May 28, 2015 Posted May 28, 2015 Why not find a proper star formula that uses shellac? Some may work when cut into stars but flare formulas aren't designed to move quickly through air and may get blown blind/not light or not be very bright. Also, hardware store shellac can contain lots of other fillers and contain very little actual shellac. Shellac powder from a pyro supplier or perhaps a high end wood working store as mentioned above will be what you want to use for best results. Shellac is also an older fuel that is becoming expensive to buy when you can even find it and has been replaced with other things in more recent formulas. You might do better with a different fuel and formulas all together. Look around or ask if looking for a particular effect.
greenlight Posted October 28, 2016 Posted October 28, 2016 I have all the bengal fire (coloured fire) compositions with decent colours now except for blue.Does anyone have any formulas for a decent blue fire using ammonium or potassium perc or anything that isn't too washed out or is this not possible?
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