Making magnalium with magnesium powder

[pyrogenius007]

Hi, I have two questions regarding magnesium, the first one being can magnalium be made with magnesium powder ? I also have some magnesium turnings which are quite thin, will they be suitable for making magnalium ? My second question is how to coat magnesium powder with potassium dichromate ( I have tried coating it with linseed oil but it gives out a yellowish flame which ruins the star colour especially green stars) I have read that dichromate is a known carcinogenic, what would be the safest way to handle it ? any suggestions on the above topics will be of great help. Regards,

[SharkWhisperer]

PyroGenius hi,

 

Maybe do a little self-study before asking basic questions like coating Mg that have been hashed over ad nauseum on various threads on this site (i.e., try the search function and reading some perhaps?). This is not an obscure topic.

 

In a very exhaustive 3-second internet search, I located this very detailed protocol for coating magnesium. Excellent description and underlying science is discussed. And it even has pretty pictures!!

 

Link: http://www.pyrobin.com/files/Coating Magnesium.pdf

 

No, dichromate is not so very scary. Yes, dichromate is toxic and requires common-sense handling approaches, like everything else in pyro. Wear gloves and don't snort the stuff...wear a respirator if desired, though the granular stuff really doesn't jump out of the jar at you... Looking at it will not give you corneal cancer. We used to ignite the stuff by the pound in classroom volcanoes before dangers were clear, and I don't know anybody that's needed chemo treatment because of it.

 

Kidding aside, protecting Mg is pretty simple stuff and dichromates are not to be feared, though respected for what they are. Just remember that although your starting dichromate was likely granular, your dichromate-treated Mg powder will still be a powder that, depending on particle size, could be airfloat--If so, you likely want respiratory protection and basic precautions to minimize skin exposure to it.

 

Making magnalium: Here too, exist multiple threads, including the cautions that go with handling molten Mg. And care with milling Mg/Al. Sure you can make it yourself. But, unless you're in a country where access might be difficult, why not just buy proven high-quality Mg/Al from a reputable vendor in whatever mesh size/range you wish? Stuff's reasonably inexpensive if used on a typical hobbyist scale. Is Mg/Al not available in your locale, or do you just enjoy the DIY factor?

Edited January 19, 2020 by SharkWhisperer

[pyrogenius007]

Hi, SharkWhisperer, Yes I should have done some more reading regarding coating magnesium, actually I went through some old threads regarding this topic, some of the sites mentioned in these threads were not opening. Many comments regarding dichromate made me quite scary of using it. I just went through all the old threads on this topic and found one by Passfire, (it was posted by you). It gives a detailed explanation of how to coat magnesium with dichromate. As for magnalium, well, I live in India where pyrotechnics is not a common hobby and there are no dedicated pyrotechnic suppliers in the place where I live. Yes, magnalium is available but only in bulk (50 kgs.and above) the manufacturers/ dealers of pyrotechnic items mainly cater to firework manufacturers and do not sell stuff in small quantities. I buy my chemicals from dealers who sell lab grade chemicals, they are available in smaller packs (500 gms.) they are a bit expensive but I have no option and am prepared for it as it is my HOBBY. Thanks for your reply to my query.

[SharkWhisperer]

PyroG, how goes it?

 

Living in the US, it's easy to forget how spoiled pyros are here in terms of the various options that are available for easily purchasing most pyro ingredients, typically at affordable prices. Click a few buttons and a box of chems is at your door in a few days. And how easy it is to buy commercially-manufactured black powder, and smokeless powder for NC, well, sometimes depending what state you live in. Deepest sympathies to my colleagues residing in nanny-ass Hawaii, Mass, Cali, etc...where pyro life is slightly more difficult. Hah, try being even just a model rocket enthusiast in California--if you are craving some serious legal babysitting, that is, ffs!

 

It is interesting to me that you cannot find what you want in India. There must be many fellow pyrotechs in the country, although India is of course a large country; I'd try to make some new acquaintances! I'm sure you'll have decent luck if you reach out.

 

Thank you India!! The absolute bestest, hottest, meanest pyro Al that I've ever worked with comes from India (shoutout to Dixie importer!); demonstrably equivalent if not better than any of the batches I've ever tried from Germany (i.e., 5413H), though I am partial to Alcoa for slow stuff. Your Indian dust is simply scary mean reactive! Love that stuff, scars & all.

 

Regarding magnalium; although I'm sure you are keenly aware, some newbies might not be: Magnalium is NOT a simple mixture of magnesium and aluminum powders! It is an alloy of the two, melted together so their crystalline structure as a solid is intertwined. The occasional misconception that Mg/Al can be recreated by mixing Mg and Al powders could lead to safety issues well beyond a formula just not working as expected. Mg and Al have very different and specific material properties and interactions with other common pyro chems, and simply mixing the two metals together as powders brings all of those potentially energetic or degrative interactions, and new ones, into consideration.

 

Mg alone is a fun chemical, but has arguably limited utility compared to Mg/Al. Please use it wisely and with due caution.

[pyrogenius007]

Hi SharkWhisperer, how are you ? thanks for your reply. Happy to know you like Indian PyroAl. yes there are a number of companies which manufacture aluminium powders but as I mentioned in my earlier post these guys cater to fireworks industries and they are sold in bulk, they are not interested in selling small quantities. I somehow managed to get it after going through a lot of searching. I have stopped making noisy stuff like bombs etc., I mostly concentrate on things which are pleasing to the eye, aerial shells, fountains, sparklers etc., I have atomised aluminium (-325 mesh ) which I use for glitter stars. I have done lots of trials with glitter formulas as there is scope for juggling with the proportions i.e increasing or decreasing the qty. of charcoal, sulphur, kno3,,sodium bicarbonate, aluminium etc., I have also tried adding rust and cast iron powders, some of the results were quite good (I do not have a video camera so I cannot show you the results). As for colour stars I stick to the formulas given in various sites, inspite of going by these formulas I had problems initially, but now I have been able to make them successfully. I have about 1 kg., of magnesium powder, and as I mentioned in my earlier post coating it with linseed oil seemed to spoil the colour esp. green stars.Since I read the advantages of using magnalium over magnesium I was wondering if I could use it to make magnalium, but after going through many posts I realised that it was not possible to use magnesium powder to make magnalium. Frankly, after reading many comments about dichromate I, was a bit worried about using it. I finally went ahead and coated it with potassium dichromate a few days back, it was quite easy (I took all the required precautions) the powder now looks greenish. I think now I have no problems with it coming into contact with moisture and chlorates (I mostly go for chlorate based formulas as potassium perchlorate is very expensive). I have also made a small batch (100 gms.) of magnalium. Since I was making it for the first time I decided to make a small batch ( my crucible is quite small and I used my home made charcoal fired furnace). I would rather make multiple small batches of it rather than go for a big batch. I first melted the aluminium then added the magnesium rod (cut into 1.5" pieces) and once it melted added some charcoal powder, the result was a silvery metal which was very brittle. I took a small portion of it and ground it , mixed it with a little b.p and set it on fire, the smaller particles burned with a sizzling noise while the bigger ones gave out a crackling sound. I will do some reading and find out other compositions using magnesium powder and once it is over will switch over to magnalium completely.

Thanks once again for having taken the time to give me valuable information.

[SharkWhisperer]

My friend, that is all very excellent news, and I admire your ambition and successes!!! I am particularly impressed with your initiative to make your own magnalium! The stuff is extremely useful and fun, and a little less problematic than pure Mg in some respects, as you know. And different from Al. Fun stuff!!!

 

As an aside, I've never coated Mg with linseed oil, but my understanding is that it needs to be thoroughly "dried" afterwards, lest the excess negate the very burn properties that have you using pure Mg in the first place.

 

No video camera? What do you call that thing on the back of your phone? :=}

 

Keep up the good work, stay safe, and try to take some video when you're able!!!

[pyrogenius007]

I was referring to a proper video camera, making videos with the camera on the back of my phone does not make very good videos (I have to hold it in one hand while lighting fireworks with the other hand and at times it doesn't focus properly, actually I do not use it often, I guess I will have to practice a little) I will take still photos of the magnalium and dichromate coated magnesium and post them. Thanks for your encouraging words.

[SharkWhisperer]

I was referring to a proper video camera, making videos with the camera on the back of my phone does not make very good videos (I have to hold it in one hand while lighting fireworks with the other hand and at times it doesn't focus properly, actually I do not use it often, I guess I will have to practice a little) I will take still photos of the magnalium and dichromate coated magnesium and post them. Thanks for your encouraging words.

Hmmmm....maybe try a longer fuse !!! :+} Or electronic ignition (Chinese e-matches with pyrogen already attached are pretty cheap on Ebay; so is nichrome wire for making your own). Single-receiver remote controls are like $10-15.

[pyrogenius007]

Hi SharkWhisperer, I am on my way to make a nichrome wire igniter, it is much safer than using lighters and esp. useful on windy days.