Pyrotechnic uses for copper sulfate?

[bobby9101]

Pardon my inexperienced question, (maybe this should go in the newbie section?) but what are some good uses for copper sulfate?

I have about 225 grams of copper sulfate that i am unsure what to do with.

 

P.S. I spent about 15 minutes searching and didn't come up with any conclusive answers, it appears that by itself, it is not used much unless it is reacted to form other copper based chemicals.

[FrankRizzo]

Shimizu makes mention of it's use as a blue coloring agent in combination with ammonium perchlorate. It should never be mixed with chlorates as the acidity will cause spontaneous ignition. The acidity and hygroscopic nature also preclude it's use with metal fuels.

[bobby9101]

Thank you. I have some ammonium perc. sitting around so maybe I will put it to use.

If metal is a no go for fuel, what fuels should I consider?

[tentacles]

Organic fuels like hexamine, red gum, lactose, shellac.. Organics are really the only candidates for blue colors anyways.

[Mumbles]

In case you have a hydrous (blue) form, you'll have to dehydrate it first, or it will never burn. I'd also suggest using a higher percentage of an organic fuel such as Red Gum or Shellac, and using that as the binding agent to keep water absorption to a minimum.

[Mumbles]

That purple torch uses Copper Sulfide, not copper sulfate. Except for the twinkling blue, the rest are quite useless. One is dangerous due to the mix of Chlorate and sulfate. The first is bound with water as evidence by the gum arabic and dextrin. This goes against all common sense if you ask me.

 

If you replace the dextrin and gum arabic with Red gum, and maybe 1 part charcoal, I think the star will be much much better. Bound with alcohol of course. I'd probably put a barrier prime with NC lacquer on soon after too.

[qwezxc12]

Here's a couple of formulas that call for copper sulfate.

 

snip...

 

Twinkling Blue Star Composition in handwriting in the copy of Shimizu[1], present in the library of the Technical University of Delft.

Ammonium perchlorate 60

Magnesium, 60 mesh 23 (treated with potassium dichromate)

Copper sulfate 17

Potassium dichromate +5% (as a stabilizer)

Preparation: Add 25 parts 10% nitrocellulose solution in acetone to 100 parts of the comp, and make cut stars. Roll these stars in "priming composition #8", using the same NC paste until stars are round. Add a final layer of black powder in NC paste to ensure ignition.

 

This formula probably should be a no-go: Ammonium perchlorate, CuSO₄, and Mg all together...bad news!

 

The following attachment is a decent primer, "HAZARDS OF BLUE STAR METALS", by Lloyd Scott Oglesby

 

First published in the American Fireworks News #59 & 60. August/September 1986, Republished in Best of AFN II (from which it was

scanned). I grabbed it off of rec.pyrotechnics, where the poster stated that Jack Drewes (Editor/Publisher of AFN) had given permission for it's posting.

 

As always, read and be informed...YMMV.

HAZARDS_OF_BLUE_STAR_METALS.pdf

Edited September 18, 2008 by qwezxc12

[DeAdFX]

Cupric sulfate is generally used to synthesize other copper based compounds as it is the most common of all copper compounds OTC wise. I find that Ammonium Perchlorate/hexamine and Cupric sulfate do a descent job of producing a blue(cupric oxide being a better choice). I don't remember the ratios but you could probably find a good mix experimentally. Edited October 4, 2008 by DeAdFX