Whistle mix (KNO3 + Gallic acid) - it's possible?

[Pirotecnia]

I know that there's a mix with Potassium Chlorate and Gallic acid, but i want to know if its possible to make a whistle with Potassium Nitrate and the same Gallic acid.

 

Thanks!

[Chuleo]

No, that is absolutely impossible.

[Arthur]

Gallic acid is an old ingredient for whistles and less stable than some others.

[WSM]

Gallic acid is an old ingredient for whistles and less stable than some others.

 

I've made gallic acid/chlorate whistles. They're a bit more shrill (higher pitch) than other whistles, otherwise I see no advantage to them. In fact they're more friction sensitive than others (except potassium picrate whistles; and yes, I've done them too).

 

On the other hand, if you have lots of gallic acid available try it out, for sure. I recommend pressing the whistles and use proper protective measures (face shield and goggles, gloves, hearing protection, etc.) and work in small amounts (whistle has a lot of power and it's safer to work in small amounts).

 

WSM

 

Edit: No, I don't think potassium nitrate will work with it. The only whistle compositions I've used potassium nitrate with are potassium picrate and potassium dinitrophenate (see Ellern, Military and Civilian Pyrotechnics, 1968).

Edited May 7, 2012 by WSM

[Potassiumchlorate]

Potassium picrate seems interesting. Pretty dangerous, though.

[Zingy]

KCLO3 and Gallic Acid was my first attempted whistle mix. Regardless of the number of attempts, thickness of the parallel wound tubes, they all became salutes, which became very annoying, for attempts at regular whistles.. If I still had Gallic Acid today, I would attempt using KCLO4 as the oxidizer, a different source of KCLO3, or perhaps a mix of KCLO3 and KCLO4..

 

I recall Rocket Guru, Steve L., mentioning his success of whistle rockets, he made, with sodium salicylate and domestic or Chinese KCLO4, but having CATCO(s), with Swedish KCLO4.

 

The misconception of conventional wisdom once convinced me, KCLO4 from one source was the same as KCLO4, from a different source.

 

In further consideration, I would also try the other Rocket Guru, Dagabu's idea, of dissolving a small amount of Petroleum Jelly into the KCLO3 and Gallic Acid, to suppress the energetic effect. Straight KCLO3 and Gallic Acid, failed to work for me. I remember, it got to the point of burying the whistle in the side of a mound of dry dirt, and barricading it, before ignition. Today they would of been suspended above the ground by string, for safety.

Edited May 7, 2012 by Zingy

[dagabu]

In further consideration, I would also try the other Rocket Guru, Dagabu's idea, of dissolving a small amount of Petroleum Jelly into the KCLO3 and Gallic Acid, to suppress the energetic effect.

 

Nope, sorry, no dog in this fight, never seen or used Gallic Acid...

 

-dag

[WSM]

KCLO3 and Gallic Acid was my first attempted whistle mix. Regardless of the number of attempts, thickness of the parallel wound tubes, they all became salutes, which became very annoying, for attempts at regular whistles.. If I still had Gallic Acid today, I would attempt using KCLO4 as the oxidizer, a different source of KCLO3, or perhaps a mix of KCLO3 and KCLO4..

I recall Rocket Guru, Steve L., mentioning his success of whistle rockets, he made, with sodium salicylate and domestic or Chinese KCLO4, but having CATCO(s), with Swedish KCLO4.

The misconception of conventional wisdom once convinced me, KCLO4 from one source was the same as KCLO4, from a different source.

In further consideration, I would also try the other Rocket Guru, Dagabu's idea, of dissolving a small amount of Petroleum Jelly into the KCLO3 and Gallic Acid, to suppress the energetic effect. Straight KCLO3 and Gallic Acid, failed to work for me. I remember, it got to the point of burying the whistle in the side of a mound of dry dirt, and barricading it, before ignition. Today they would of been suspended above the ground by string, for safety.

 

When I tried the gallic acid & potassium chlorate whistles, I used two different mixtures and they both worked. The plain gallic acid and chlorate whistle was the first one and the second was similar except for 3% red gum added to the mix (for a total of 100%). With the red gum sieved into the rest of the ingredients, I wet the mixture with denatured alcohol (shellac thinner) granulated and dried it. After it was fully dried, I pressed it and the whistles worked fine.

 

The tubes I used were grey, recycled paper tubes about 5/16" (8mm) ID and about 1/2" (13mm) OD and I pressed a 1" (25mm) increment in the end of a 2" (50mm) tube, and I ignited them from the cavity end. The starting materials were finely powdered and mixed well through a 40 or 60 mesh sieve (I don't remember which).

 

WSM