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Miscellaneous Misc Pyro File - Flare - Mg/NaNO3


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Posted
correct me if im wrong, but nano3 and kno3 are essentialy the same thing, and kno3/mg is one of the common k3wl flash powders?
Posted

you are right. that is why it have 6% paraffin oil in it - to decrease the burn rate and to make it safest for pressing.

 

and of course you can't ram this comp! only press it.

Posted

you are right. that is why it have 6% paraffin oil in it - to decrease the burn rate and to make it safest for pressing.

 

and of course you can't ram this comp! only press it.

 

What is the formula?

Posted

composition:

57% - sodium nitrate

37% - magnesium

6% - paraffin oil

Posted
Sodium nitrate is a somewhat less vigorous oxidizer than KNO3. If burned as a powder under confinement, you may get an explosion. In the open it should be a bit safer, but when pressed it should burn as an obscenely bright flare. Most standard flash powders if compressed into a comet will simply burn vigorously and not explode if done right.
Posted
I've seen my 70/30 burn like a star when accidentally compressed a bit. Then it went supersonic. But for a bit it did burn like a silver streamer.
Posted (edited)
Speaking of Mg, I was at the last club shoot and got a free 5lb bag of 600 mesh Mg. Does anyone know of any good compositions I can use this for? Most of the Mg comps I have in my recipe book use magnalium, not pure Mg..... Edited by Kaokin
Posted
That would be great for go getters.
Posted
You might want to use KNO3 instead. NaNO3 is quite hygroscopic and will draw in moisture. Mg is reactive to moisture but extremely so when it has some oxidizer dissolved in it. Also if you do make a KNO3/Mg mix you may want to go even further and passivate the Mg with potassium dichromate beforehand.
Posted
I think you're missing the point. The reason to use NaNO3 instead of KNO3 is because it is significantly brighter. Those yellow emission lines that everyone hates actually come in handy here. I often see this comp pressed with oil or some sort of plastic binder to avoid water issues.
Posted

Duda has 50# bags of Sodium Nitrate in stock and that video of the yellow is wonderful! I just have to try this in a shell soon.

 

-dag

Posted

Here's a thought I've always wondered about... What if you melted 2 different oxidizers together and then ground down the resulting lump to a fine powder. In this case maybe if you melted 1 part NaNO3 with 2 parts KNO3. If there were sufficiently more KNO3 wouldn't it sort of "lock" out the moisture - or at least help?

 

Like alloying oxidizers. You could probably even integrate a catalyst that way.

 

I think you're missing the point. The reason to use NaNO3 instead of KNO3 is because it is significantly brighter. Those yellow emission lines that everyone hates actually come in handy here. I often see this comp pressed with oil or some sort of plastic binder to avoid water issues.

Posted

Duda has 50# bags of Sodium Nitrate in stock and that video of the yellow is wonderful! I just have to try this in a shell soon.

 

-dag

 

there are a couple problems with this comp as far as stars go (its obviously brilliant for flares)

 

it contains no binder

and it wouldnt be easy to ignite

 

you might want to try something similar yet different

Posted

there are a couple problems with this comp as far as stars go (its obviously brilliant for flares)

 

it contains no binder

and it wouldnt be easy to ignite

 

you might want to try something similar yet different

 

DRAT! Oh well, so much for my try at chemistry. No wonder nobody ever invites me to science bees. ^_^

 

-dag

Posted

Ive found that if you bind nitrate magnesium comps provided the mg isnt to fine (I did the tests with turnings and some crushed turnings that all passed through a 40 mesh seive) that PVA seems to protect it from nitrates if used as the binder

 

I conducted the lests by mixing equal parts of magnesium and strontium/ammonium/sodium/potassium nitrate (finely powdered) than wetting with PVA and pressing into 2 1" comets once completely dry dissolving in hot water and reweiying to see if any reaction had occurred there was no significant change you may wish to try PVA just remember once dry the high magnesium content will make them hard to light so a good prime will be nesisary

 

good luck

Posted

composition:

57% - sodium nitrate

37% - magnesium

6% - paraffin oil

 

In the US, paraffin oil is Kerosene but mineral oil is also referred to as paraffin oil... Which is this in your comp?

 

-dag

Posted

In the US, paraffin oil is Kerosene but mineral oil is also referred to as paraffin oil... Which is this in your comp?

 

-dag

 

In Aus paraffin oil is the same as mineral oil kind of viscus and suitable for use in the manufature of cosmetics and great for firebreathing.

 

it definitely wouldn't be kerosene (in the comp)

Posted

Like what is used in whistle rocket fuel? OK :)

 

I have enough trouble figuring out which peanut butter is chunky and which is smooth... :lol:

 

-dag

Posted

I have enough trouble figuring out which peanut butter is chunky and which is smooth... :lol:

 

 

not so easy these days there is light smooth, light crunchy and supper crunchy

Posted

Wouldnt parafin oil be more like "lamp oil" I thought mineral oil was non flamable??

 

Steve

 

 

Posted

Wouldnt parafin oil be more like "lamp oil" I thought mineral oil was non flamable??

 

Steve

 

 

 

(Thats what I was wondering too)

Posted

Wouldnt parafin oil be more like "lamp oil" I thought mineral oil was non flamable??

 

Steve

 

 

 

you can put a match out in paraffin oil but if you add a wick to it, aresolise it , or have it in a pyro comp (in small amounts) it will actually burn quite well (just like candle wax)

Posted

you can put a match out in paraffin oil but if you add a wick to it, aresolise it , or have it in a pyro comp (in small amounts) it will actually burn quite well (just like candle wax)

 

GREAT!!! Now I am even more confused! :o

 

-dag

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