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Fuel+SrCO3+parlon, no nitrate/chlorate = possible?


Conure

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Can you make a red fire without nitrates or chlorates? Since SrCO3 is about half as expensive as Sr(NO3)2 I got curious if it's possible to use it as replacement for the nitrate.
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The nitrate (and chlorate) is the oxidizer and necessary for a self sustaining burn. Strontium carbonate is in the same family as chalk and baking soda, and carbonates are commonly added to slow down a composition. With parlon and dextrin it would basically be a chalk, rubber, and starch or essentially a type of flour. It won't do what you want without an oxidizer to supply oxygen, which is necessary in most things pyro.

 

It would probably make some nice colors in a camp fire...

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It's possible that an exotic metal fuel could burn so hot that it might be possible BUT with fireworks the usual aim is to make it cheaply so selecting an impossible mix would defeat the affordability of the formula, so basically No Don't Bother.

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Magnesium will strip the oxygen from strontium carbonate and burn, rather well actually, but I'm not so sure it'll be useful as a color comp. It'll take a hell of a lot of energy to break down the carbonate, so it'll be difficult to ignite as a star comp.

 

Also all of the carbon will cause incandescence skewing it towards orange red.

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There will be ways of using exotic and expensive chemicals in fireworking BUT no-one appreciates the sheer cost of materials so there is no point in using them. Probably this is why no-one used the ultra flammable metals -in addition to their handling problems.

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There will be ways of using exotic and expensive chemicals in fireworking BUT no-one appreciates the sheer cost of materials so there is no point in using them. Probably this is why no-one used the ultra flammable metals -in addition to their handling problems.

Not at all disagreeing with you, it's impractical, especially if the OP thinks that strontium nitrate is too expensive, wait until he sees the cost for Mg powder. I just was explaining the concept of how it works in case anyone's interested in the knowledge.

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I haven't seen much in the way of effective strontium carbonate based stars without a secondary oxidizer. Like others have said, strontium carbonate can burn with certain metallic fuels to liberate oxygen on it's own. Generally to achieve a functional star, you need another oxidizer to get the reaction moving though. Probably the best example of this is Buell Red.

 

Potassium Perchlorate 35%
Strontium Carbonate 25%
Magnalium (100 mesh) 14%
Parlon 13%
Red Gum 7%
Dextrin 6%

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  • 2 weeks later...
Ammonium perchlorate comps make for a wonderful red. Either with a magnal or mag fueled comp with a strontium salt.
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All pyro comps as now available represent the best performance for price adjusted for the historic availability of materials. Mixtures evolve with time and the availability of cheap ingredients. The more modern mixes are as effective and economical as is possible at the moment -this may well change in the future. Some old comps evolved out of use because of instability issues(chlorates), or toxicity effects (paris green). Remember that fireworks may be used a week after manufacture or ten years after.

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