Shimizu: hottest organic chlorate and perchlorate flames with 75% oxidizer

[Potassiumchlorate]

This is stated on page 55 in Fireworks The Art Science and Technique. The experiments were carried out with binary compositions of potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate and ammonium perchlorate with shellac as the fuel.

 

The same should go for barium chlorate, which would mean that the stochiometrically 88:12 barium chlorate/shellac and the stochiometrically 86:14 barium chlorate/red gum should be starved considerably on barium chlorate for the sake of the flame temperature and flame size.

 

I tested this composition:

 

Barium chlorate 75

Red gum 22

SGRS 3

 

A 10mm star made with it burned pretty slowly but with the largest flame I have ever seen with a barium chlorate star that size.

 

Would this burn a little faster?

 

Barium chlorate 75

Red gum 20

Stearin 2

SGRS 3

 

When it comes to blue stars with copper(II)oxide, the amount of oxidizer could be raised up to about 80% all in all. Something similar should apply to organic (per)chlorate/nitrate compositions, since nitrates burn with a much "cooler" flame, right?

[FlaMtnBkr]

A while back I searched for an alternative to the standard Barium chlorate, shellac formula. Shellac isn't real cheap or easy to find.

 

My notes stink but from what I remember this formula came from an early 1900s book but I have no clue which one. Anyways, might be worth trying if you are experimenting. I was going to try it but haven't gotten to it yet.

 

20 Barium chlorate (71.4 %)

7 lactose (25%)

1 Dextrine (3.6%)

 

I don't know if the dextrine is there as a fuel or for binding, or both. I didn't find any instructions, just the formula. I wonder if the lactose could be replaced with red gum?

[Potassiumchlorate]

I'm sure it could, but you should raise the barium chlorate to 75. 70 is too little, 80 is too much. Potassium chlorate and shellac burn with 2150^oC in a 75:25 ratio. When dropped to 70% potassium chlorate, the flame doesn't even go up to 2000^oC, and at the edge of the flame it drops to 1900^oC. With 80% potassium chlorate the flame is 2150^oC at the base but only about 1625^oC at the edge. Potassium perchlorate and ammonium perchlorate start at a little higher temperatures but have a similar drop when changing the ratio. It's reasonable to believe that barium chlorate behaves in a similar way and more like potassium chlorate.