Norsepyro Posted January 21 Author Posted January 21 Here is a beauty from Gøteborgs fyrverkerifabrik, a Swedish importer: This looks a bit like the pirotex glitter stars, but I doubt sodium nitrate is used in commercial F4 fireworks. I'm sure there excist many formulas and techniques to achieve a glitter effect. 1
Pyroboy Posted July 2 Posted July 2 I talked to someone who imports fireworks from China. And he told me, that they use a special Titanium powder for Corolla effect. He called it:"Flint Stone Titanium"! I looked if there is an alloy containing Titanium, iron and cerium, lanthanium or something that gives "flint stone". But I could not find any further information. If it really contains lanthanides that alloy probably is highly sensitive to friction. But it definetly is a different type of metal powder than plain Ti.
Arthur Posted July 2 Posted July 2 Sometimes an odd alloy used in fireworking is a waste product from another industry.
Norsepyro Posted July 2 Author Posted July 2 I have not heard of any alloy like this being used in fireworks before, but it might be something the Chinese have in excess and happens to be useful for this effect. I have however found that pure sponge titanium with particles smaller than 60 mesh will make a fine grained delayed glittering effect when used in a tiger tail composition containing 5-10% lampblack, however the flashes are not so strong as the commercial pixie/corolla stars I've seen. I have been also wondering how the titanium/zirconium alloy used for spark machines would work in stars.
Norsepyro Posted July 3 Author Posted July 3 Looks great Zumber, nice golden glittering effect. Did you make this? If so I'd love to know which formula is used 🙂
Zumber Posted July 3 Posted July 3 This is commercial shell, I taked with owner and ended up to know only ingredients being used and have no clear idea about exact composition as he refused to reveal his secret. I am working with this effect hardly. I will mention here what he has told during conversation. Potassium nitrate, atomized aluminum, charcoal, Sulphur, white dextrin, sodium oxalate & Iron(II) sulfide. During my study, I have got one formula which uses Iron sulphide in encyclopedic dictionary of Pyrotechnics. White glitter Potassium nitrate -59 Charcoal (air float) -13 Sulfur -5 Atomized Aluminum (120 - 325 m)- 10 Iron(II) sulfide -13 If we add sodium oxalate it might turn it into yellow glitter.
Chandan123 Posted July 3 Posted July 3 Zumber, you have given the comp for this effect; it also has a glittering effect. fireworkskavatheekand-greenfireworksshot-fireworksshots-diwalitrendingfireworks.mp4.579a9dc301aa4b585752ab9634766275.mp4
Zumber Posted July 3 Posted July 3 This is also shell from same person he has given glittering effect coating over colour stars.
Chandan123 Posted July 3 Posted July 3 26 minutes ago, Zumber said: This is also shell from same person he has given glittering effect coating over colour stars. I have tried one comp I formulated using Oglesey's glitter method and got some shimmering effect, but when I shoot it, it doesn't give that long tail, rather a short tail, shimmering effect. Actually this all these shells are known as twinkler, which is good for using antimony for long tails without this, achieving this effect is very difficult. ok, let's try.
Zumber Posted July 4 Posted July 4 Unfortunately antimony is banned for us. We have to work with Iron sulphide.
Chandan123 Posted July 4 Posted July 4 2 hours ago, Zumber said: Unfortunately antimony is banned for us. We have to work with Iron sulphide. Yes, but iron sulphide is not available online. I discovered that antimony trisulfide, a naturally occurring mineral known as stibnite, is available on Amazon; however, it may contain impurities. I think copper sulphide can work for both.
Zumber Posted July 4 Posted July 4 2 hours ago, Chandan123 said: Yes, but iron sulphide is not available online. I discovered that antimony trisulfide, a naturally occurring mineral known as stibnite, is available on Amazon; however, it may contain impurities. I think copper sulphide can work for both. Iron sulphide (fireworks grade) is available if you need suppliers details please pm me. I don't know about purity of antimony trisulphide sold by Amazon. I don't want to play with legally banned items.
Chandan123 Posted July 5 Posted July 5 19 hours ago, Zumber said: Iron sulphide (fireworks grade) is available if you need suppliers details please pm me. I don't know about purity of antimony trisulphide sold by Amazon. I don't want to play with legally banned items. Thank you for the reply, Zumber. However, I found sources and did some browsing, and I found that iron sulphide is available on Snapdeal by Labogens in a 1kg pack, but you have to grind it and make a powder.
Pyroboy Posted July 7 Posted July 7 (edited) On 7/3/2025 at 10:47 AM, Zumber said: During my study, I have got one formula which uses Iron sulphide in encyclopedic dictionary of Pyrotechnics. White glitter Potassium nitrate -59 Charcoal (air float) -13 Sulfur -5 Atomized Aluminum (120 - 325 m)- 10 Iron(II) sulfide -13 Well this is definetly a common glitter composition. If you check Winokurs Glitter mixtures, you will see that there are also mixtures using iron(III)-oxide with additional sulfur. I found iron in glitter compositions very usefull, regardless if white or yellow/ gold glitter. Try a 1:1 mixture of Winokur 20 and D1 Glitter with using only aluminium as metal. Just grind your KNO3 first and then mix all the other ingredients with sieve. aluinium should be around <45µm to <65 µm. For changing to Color that is one of the best glitter mixtures I have used. For the corolla compositions: Has anyone tried to soak in oxidizing agents (like Ba(NO3)2) into sponge Ti? If I could get additional oxygen into the inner Ti-particlestructure, maybe it gives more like a flash than a long lasting spark?! On 7/3/2025 at 1:29 AM, Norsepyro said: I have been also wondering how the titanium/zirconium alloy used for spark machines would work in stars. I thought about that, too. But I think it also gives just sparks. I also heard someone talk about problems with self ignition with this titanium/ zirconium alloy. Edited July 7 by Pyroboy
Norsepyro Posted July 8 Author Posted July 8 Thanks for the warning about the titanium/zirconium alloy. If there is any risk with self ignition, then this alloy is of course not interesting in a pyro mixture. You can get a sort of flashing effect from - 60 mesh sponge Ti in a tiger tail type mixture with some lampblack. This may look similar to some corolla stars I have seen. These stars seem to give a fine grained flickering effect(not my video) : 1
Pyroboy Posted July 8 Posted July 8 (edited) I am not sure, if self ignition is a problem when it is bound in a mixture. But it seems, that this particular alloy can heat up very easily, when stored in the wrong container. I just heard it at third hand. But from what I heard this person is a proffessional pyrotechnician and he had a near accident. He just noticed in time, that the barrel heated up. I assume he stored at least severel kg of that alloy, but that story scared me away from using it. The effect on yout video looks quite promising. Maybe sponge Ti is really a good choice. If I get some sponge Ti, I will try to treat it with a saturated Ba(NO3)2 solution and put that in a willow comp. Edited July 8 by Pyroboy
Zumber Posted July 9 Posted July 9 On 7/5/2025 at 8:41 AM, Chandan123 said: Thank you for the reply, Zumber. However, I found sources and did some browsing, and I found that iron sulphide is available on Snapdeal by Labogens in a 1kg pack, but you have to grind it and make a powder. It is also available in powder form. You may need to look different sources. Its readily available and not much expensive. I have no idea about how hard it is to grind as for the first time I am trying this stuff.
Chandan123 Posted July 10 Posted July 10 On 7/9/2025 at 9:29 AM, Zumber said: It is also available in powder form. You may need to look different sources. Its readily available and not much expensive. I have no idea about how hard it is to grind as for the first time I am trying this stuff. Perhaps i think cupric sulphide what do instead of iron sulphide. It is readily available in powder and not much expensive .
Chandan123 Posted July 11 Posted July 11 19 hours ago, Zumber said: Both are different materials. Yes, but copper sulphide can also help in creating a delayed effect. Although it is somewhat hot, with proper formulation, it can be used. As it is said, it depends on the available chemicals for a pyrotechnician to create some effect; alone, the composition can't do anything. Happy experimenting.
Chandan123 Posted July 11 Posted July 11 (edited) 33 minutes ago, Zumber said: Please post video if you succeed with this. Sure i will recently i tested a shell but i wasn't the effect i wish for , couple of chages required . Ok let's see what can be done . By the zumber did u tried the modified troy fish glitter the effect seems quite pleasant plz try and tell if the twinkling effect can be achieved from that mix it could make things easy . Thank you. Edited July 11 by Chandan123
Zumber Posted July 11 Posted July 11 I have not tried anything. I am hobbyist person, I have no chemicals right now. May be I will give a try later.
Pyroboy Posted July 11 Posted July 11 (edited) Loyd Scott Oglesby describes in his book for the advantage of antimon(III)-sulfide. What he says is, thatt in glitter mixtures the antimon(III)-sulfide is often used, because it provides additional sulfur and the antimon has a low boiling point. With gaseous antimon leaving the spritzel is cools the slag down and delays the "Spritz-Reaction" (the flash reaction of the slag). With Iron(III)-sulfid or Copper(II)-sulfide you will get the sulfur, but the boiling point of copper is about 1000 °C higher than that of antimon and iron even higher. Both metals will definitly change the behaviour of the slag. The use of high melting oxides e.g. Iron(III)-oxide is more to built up "barriers" in the slag, so that diffusion of oxygen, ect. is not as fast as without them. That means you propaply cannot switch the antimon(III)-sulfide with an other sulfide and expect the glitter to work. Edited July 11 by Pyroboy
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