usapyro Posted July 7, 2017 Posted July 7, 2017 (edited) Was browsing a local grow shop and happened upon this while trying to source local KNO3... Don't care that it's flat prills! A few seconds in the blender preps it for ball milling. Kinda confused by that tag though. Did they add wax to it to help hold the prills together or something? What would be the most likely remaining 3% consist of? Metal contamination? Product number 704042 distributed by National Garden Wholesale. This stuff is a very very hot yellow color... Looks good! Except, I wish it was sold in larger amounts... Edited July 7, 2017 by usapyro
dagabu Posted July 7, 2017 Posted July 7, 2017 DUDA Diesel has 50 lb bags for $40. I have purchased 50 lb buckets from them as I usually have to buy a bucket anyway to store it. It seems to have low acid and works as well as the rubbermakers sulfur I have bought in the past. They also have several options for different size bags if you are looking for less.
WSM Posted July 7, 2017 Posted July 7, 2017 Sulfur has such a low melting point, it may not need to use an additive to hold it together. Maybe the seller is listing a lower purity just to be conservative. They may well be selling a purer product than they say. If it works, just go with it. WSM
lloyd Posted July 7, 2017 Posted July 7, 2017 Did you check the pH, to ensure it's not acidic? There's a reason why we use acid-free rubber makers' sulfur! Lloyd
WSM Posted July 7, 2017 Posted July 7, 2017 Did you check the pH, to ensure it's not acidic? There's a reason why we use acid-free rubber makers' sulfur!Lloyd That's a good safety point, Lloyd. If you're making BP for rockets, it probably doesn't matter; BUT if using it for things in contact with other compositions containing chlorate or even perchlorates, dangerous reactions can occur. Doing a pH check is a wise precaution (don't guess at safety). WSM
taiwanluthiers Posted July 7, 2017 Posted July 7, 2017 how do you check for the ph of sulfur? It doesn't dissolve in water. I have a feeling ph papers aren't going to cut it.
lloyd Posted July 7, 2017 Posted July 7, 2017 (edited) If there are 'acids' in the sulfur, the acid itself doesn't actually exist until any SO2 from decomposition meets water. A MINIMUM of distilled water, agitation, and gentle heating to about 110F will cause the SO2 to be evolved from within the grains. Don't get it very hot -- It will most-likely be sulfurOUS acid. It's only a solution of SO2 in water, and it readily decomposes at temperatures higher than that. The SO2 will simply be evaporated into the air. Then cool the water fairly quickly to ambient, filter out the particulates, and check the pH. Lloyd Edited July 7, 2017 by lloyd
Mumbles Posted July 7, 2017 Posted July 7, 2017 WSM, acidic sulfur is less of a hazard with perchlorates actually. Sulfuric acid is the real acid to be worried about. It forms from trapped SO3, and will form from the decomposition of sulfurous acid. Sulfurous acid, formed from SO2 and water, can also be oxidized, photolyzed, or decomposed into some amount of sulfuric including by chlorate itself. You may already be aware of this from the use of acidified metabisulfite (which forms some sulfurous acid) to destroy chlorates though. Sulfuric acid is strong enough to form chloric acid from chlorates, but not strong enough to form perchloric acid from perchlorates. Perchloric acid is the strongest mineral acid known IIRC. Still, all the more reason to avoid acidic sulfur to begin with.
usapyro Posted July 7, 2017 Author Posted July 7, 2017 (edited) Did you check the pH, to ensure it's not acidic? There's a reason why we use acid-free rubber makers' sulfur! Lloyd I don't really care. Unless KNO3 can be degraded by acid, but I'm pretty sure it's a highly stable nitrate! I don't do colors, so I have not really used KClO3 in years. As for other issues like the acid degrading metals... I don't use water based binder anymore, so no problems there. Mostly just BP, Rocket Fuels, and Glitters. Edited July 7, 2017 by usapyro
lloyd Posted July 7, 2017 Posted July 7, 2017 Yeah.... but if you ever 'progress' to other things, you'll be tempted to use "the same ol' sulfur". You might introduce hazards you didn't intend to. Sulfur in any form is cheap. Rubber makers' sulfur is not expensive enough to skimp on the safety issue. But that's my last 'nag'. You know my opinion. Lloyd
OldMarine Posted July 7, 2017 Posted July 7, 2017 Chris has it cheap enough I wouldn't chance the iffy stuff:https://fireworkscookbook.com/shop/?fwp_search=sulfur
usapyro Posted July 9, 2017 Author Posted July 9, 2017 Yeah.... but if you ever 'progress' to other things, you'll be tempted to use "the same ol' sulfur". You might introduce hazards you didn't intend to. Sulfur in any form is cheap. Rubber makers' sulfur is not expensive enough to skimp on the safety issue. But that's my last 'nag'. You know my opinion. Lloyd I use to work with KClO3 colors, Bengals, etc... Not really interested in colors anymore. I use to use all H3 lift and burst back in the day, but not anymore.
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