D1 glitter incompatibility?

[AldoSPyro]

I was looking at the D1 glitter pumped star formula and it includes both 325 mesh aluminum and potassium nitrate, I recently heard about the incompatibility of aluminum powder with potassium nitrate when wet. I was wondering how such a popular and widely used star can spontaneously combust. Is there an issue if I am pumping them with distilled water?

[gregh]

There is a current thread discussing just that in the pyrotechnics forum.

 

http://www.amateurpyro.com/forums/topic/10337-aluminum-and-potassium-nitrate-incompatability/

[Carbon796]

Calling it a incompatibility, is a little far reaching. You may want to try using the search feature. Aluminum/nitrate reactions have been covered multiple times in the past year, or so. If D1 was prone to spontaneously combust. It probably wouldn't be so popular and widely used.

 

No, there is not an issue with using distilled water for binding water bound comps. I will only use distilled water, for water bound comps.

[nater]

D1 is not particularly prone to that reaction. You can add boric acid to the water you use to dampen the comp for a safety margin. Personally, I use plain water when I pump D1. I have not had any issues, but that does not mean it could never happen.

[dagabu]

I had a batch of D1 go south back about 6 years ago, they started to smell like ammonia so they were spread out on a screen and put outside. They stopped the reaction within the day and worked perfectly fine in shells.