Rbick
April 3rd, 2007, 07:36 PM
I was doing some fun experiments with some extra chemicals I have lying around. Those being Fe powder (300 mesh), KNO3 and some Mg/Al alloy. Usually Fe and Al are used to make sparklers, so I thought it would be cool to make an exploding version of that.
First I tested out a mix of 50/50 Fe to AL (10g) and then mixed that with a mix of 7 parts KNO3 to 3 parts Mg/Al alloy (also 10g). The result was a bright and slow burning, extremely hot ignition. When I looked shortly afterwards, I noticed molten Fe on the rock where the mix was ignited. A Fe/Al mix will not ignite by itself, it needed help from the KNO3/Al/Mg mix as Fe requires a great amount of heat to start burning.
Fe/Al mix (http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u6/pudgedog69/Sparkler/?action=view¤t=FeFlare.flv)
My next mix was the same as above, except I added a 10g layer of KCLO4/Al flash under the Fe mix. I had the fuse going into the Fe/Al/KNO3/Mg/Al first so it would begin burning before the flash went off. You can see in the video the burning Fe being shot upward from the flash powder. I'll try it at night so it is more prominent and post that later. As a side note, the 10g of flash was a little much, I think 5g is more sensible. And the addition of more Fe to the mix might make it a little more interesting too.
w/ Flash Powder (http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u6/pudgedog69/Sparkler/?action=view¤t=KNO3-Fe-MgAl.flv)
First I tested out a mix of 50/50 Fe to AL (10g) and then mixed that with a mix of 7 parts KNO3 to 3 parts Mg/Al alloy (also 10g). The result was a bright and slow burning, extremely hot ignition. When I looked shortly afterwards, I noticed molten Fe on the rock where the mix was ignited. A Fe/Al mix will not ignite by itself, it needed help from the KNO3/Al/Mg mix as Fe requires a great amount of heat to start burning.
Fe/Al mix (http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u6/pudgedog69/Sparkler/?action=view¤t=FeFlare.flv)
My next mix was the same as above, except I added a 10g layer of KCLO4/Al flash under the Fe mix. I had the fuse going into the Fe/Al/KNO3/Mg/Al first so it would begin burning before the flash went off. You can see in the video the burning Fe being shot upward from the flash powder. I'll try it at night so it is more prominent and post that later. As a side note, the 10g of flash was a little much, I think 5g is more sensible. And the addition of more Fe to the mix might make it a little more interesting too.
w/ Flash Powder (http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u6/pudgedog69/Sparkler/?action=view¤t=KNO3-Fe-MgAl.flv)