lacrima97 Posted July 2, 2006 Posted July 2, 2006 I tested out this comp yesterday. Hexachloroethane 45Zinc Oxide 45Aluminum 10 I used a "mixed on site" composition of magnesium/NaNO3 to initiate the reaction. It takes quite a bit of heat to start off. Anyway, I did this, and really to tell the truth, It wasnt that much better than the candy smoke mixtures. I was reading a comp from shimizu earlier, and he gives a composition of: Hexachloroethane 52Zinc Oxide 27Zinc 21 Do you guys think that it would be worth the effort to try shimizu's comp? He gave a rather detailed analysis, and I figure I will test it out. I Just really love my zinc powder, I think its my favorite chem. Do you think that the first smoke wasn't overly unimpressive becuase of error on my part?, or is it just the composition. I'll try the second tomorrow and see I suppose.
Mumbles Posted July 2, 2006 Posted July 2, 2006 HCE smokes are supposed to be very thick and good smokes. IIRC HCE is used in several military smoke devices. Never hurts to make a small 10g batch or so of the zinc metal fueled stuff.
lacrima97 Posted July 2, 2006 Author Posted July 2, 2006 Yeah, I will have to wait until tomorrow sadly. I can't wip out the hexachloroethane in my room. The smoke was extremely thick, but it just went straight up, it didn't linger on the ground or anything.
lacrima97 Posted July 6, 2006 Author Posted July 6, 2006 Hexachloroethane 52Zinc Oxide 27Zinc 21 Well, I tried this comp on the fourth, and it was pretty nice. I used a kalium nitrate, sperical Al, and sulfur initiating agent, and it started up nicely. Anyway, when this stuff was burning, it had a very whispy look to it, and very thick. I have come to the conclusion that these things are better used indoors. They dissapate so quickly that there is no real time for a good effect to kick in. Same with kalium nitrate, sugar smoke. Pretty nice to sum it up though.
Mumbles Posted July 6, 2006 Posted July 6, 2006 They are also best used in humid environments. The ZnCl2 formed is rather hydroscopic. It is more opaque when it is hydrated.
Mephistos Minion Posted July 8, 2006 Posted July 8, 2006 Anyone got forumulas for coloured smokes? I found HCE for a high price ($71 for 1 kilogram), but there is an aluminium smelter in my state (HCE is used to get rid of air bubbles in Al melts) so I will see if I can get some of them. Coloured smoke would be great for paintball and airsoft (all home made ones as my state is ruled by pussies).
lacrima97 Posted July 8, 2006 Author Posted July 8, 2006 There are many smoke compositions on the PFP database. BTW, this HCE is hardly worth $71/kg. I wouldn't pay more than 10-15/lb for it.
Mephistos Minion Posted July 8, 2006 Posted July 8, 2006 I figured it wasn't worth that, that was the price from a lab supply so no wonder it is so much. I looked on the Passfire database but couldnt find any, so I will look on the PFP.
delta_echo Posted July 8, 2006 Posted July 8, 2006 Hexachloroethane 52Zinc Oxide 27Zinc 21 I have come to the conclusion that these things are better used indoors. They dissapate so quickly that there is no real time for a good effect to kick in. . DO NOT use this indoors. The military has had fatality cases with using HC smoke in inclosures. Granted the ppm from a full size grenade is probably greater than anything you or I will make, but why risk it? Oh yeah, here's a quick vid of HC Smoke: http://media.putfile.com/HCL-Smoke-Slow
lacrima97 Posted July 8, 2006 Author Posted July 8, 2006 Haha, hell no I'm not doing it indoors, thats just the only thing I could think of to make it not dissapate so quickly. I'm gonna go make a vid of the stuff as well as you did to compare. When I feel like handling HCE that is.
Mephistos Minion Posted July 8, 2006 Posted July 8, 2006 Apparently the ZnCl formed is very hazardous and they are now using oxides of Ti instead.
Caleb51 Posted July 9, 2006 Posted July 9, 2006 Yeah, I will have to wait until tomorrow sadly. I can't wip out the hexachloroethane in my room. The smoke was extremely thick, but it just went straight up, it didn't linger on the ground or anything. couldn't you like put the comp in a can or something with a lid of some sort to disperse the smoke. Maybe like a can with a raised cone shaped lid on top (Raised slighly above can to allow circulation) but wouldnt that keep it lingering more?
lacrima97 Posted July 9, 2006 Author Posted July 9, 2006 I've used different containers for it, but the bottom line is the smoke generated is less dense that the surrounding air. I have been thinking something though. Maybe if somehow, I can get the smoke to pass through water on the way out of a tube or something, that maybe the ZnCl2 would end up absorbing some of the water making the smoke thicker.
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