pycharm Posted August 31, 2020 Posted August 31, 2020 I finally got around to making a smoke composition using TPA, but something is off about it. I mixed 100g of the mix using 61% TPA, 16% lactose and 23% screen KClo3. Upon ignition the mixture produces very weak black smoke that smells like burnt rubber, and there is quite a bit of hard whitish residue left on the ground. From what I've read, the mixture should be making a white smoke. Are one of my chems bad, or am I missing something?
justvisiting Posted August 31, 2020 Posted August 31, 2020 The guy that made this video said he used a 1" ID tube full with lightly tamped composition. He used a piece of dowel with a 1/4" hole in it for the nozzle. He screwed it from the side to hold it in place. He did the same with the bottom plug.
FlaMtnBkr Posted September 7, 2020 Posted September 7, 2020 I would imagine the white residue is probably melted TPA that didn't get hot enough to vaporize. Did it sputter or want to go out? Or try to burn with a flame? Without knowing how it burned, I would try adding more lactose or more chlorate a couple points to get it a bit hotter. Or if you think it burned ok maybe mix the lactose and chlorate together in the above proportions and then add a few percent extra. I experimented with TPA quite a bit and attempted to advocate its use in flash and glad to see it's still getting some attention. I bought a lot of TPA,though short of a rail car as that used to be about the smallest amount sold, and found a lot of it had a lot of water in it. I don't think its particularly hygroscopic but it was there nonetheless. I don't think it would be very detrimental to your smoke unless a metal was added, but it would require extra heat to vaporize the water and could cause a too cool burn. Good luck and let us know if you get it sorted out.
justvisiting Posted September 7, 2020 Posted September 7, 2020 FlaMtnBkr, are you saying it would make smoke properly when burned loosely on the ground, if the formula was made well?
FlaMtnBkr Posted September 8, 2020 Posted September 8, 2020 Probably not though if the oxidizer was reduced to account for the atmospheric oxygen and it burned cool enough it might. But usually if the smoke is hot enough, when it hits air and the extra oxygen, the smoke which is usually essentially atomized fuel, burns in a jet like fashion and the smoke is consumed. Most smoke you just want enough fuel and oxidizer to achieve a sustained and complete burn but that is cool enough to just vaporize the wax/oil/dye/excess fuel so it creates a fine particulate but not hot enough to burn. It can take some tweaking to get just right and things like a long choke that gives the smoke a chance to cool some can be very helpful.
TheWorkingsOfFire Posted October 7, 2020 Posted October 7, 2020 Hey peeps! When making comps, can parlon be substituted for chlorowax and vice versa? if the formula calls for chlorowax, can parlon or chlorinated rubber be used instead as a chlorine donor?
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