The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives - Sciencemadness Dot Org

118 PYROTECHNICS
The ingredients are all powdered to pass a 200-210 mesh sieve.
The dry materials are mixed thoroughly and sifted, then moistened
little by little with water with thorough mixing until the
mixture attains the consistency of heavy molasses. Iron wires
(20 gauge) of convenient length are dipped m the mixture and
are hung up to dry for 24 hours. These are dipped a second time
for size, and allowed to dry for another 24 hours. The sparklers
burn with a bright white light and throw out "soft sparks" from
the charcoal and occasionally scintillating sparks from the burning
of the iron wire.
Other mixtures which produce similar effects are as follows:
Potassium nitrate
Potassium perchlorate .
Barium nitrate
Sulfur .
Lampblack
Red gum
Fine aluminum powder
Coarse aluminum powder
The first of these burns with a lilac-colored flame as contrasted
with the flame of the second which appears white. These compositions
are applied by adding the intimately mixed dry ingredients
to a liquid known as "black wax," procured by melting
together 3 pounds of rosin and 1 gallon of liquid roofing-paper tar.
The iron wires are dipped two or three times in the resulting
slurry, and allowed to dry between dips.
The use of iron and steel filings in the compositions produces
a more brilliant display of scintillating sparks The following
formulas are typical. Water is used for applying the compositions.
The iron and steel filings which are used m these com-
Barium mtrate
Potassium perchlorate
Fine aluminum powder
Fine iron filings
Fine steel filings
Manganese dioxide
Dextrin .
Glucose .
64 3
18
5
4
6
48 .
7
24 .
2
. 12
positions are coated, before the mixing, with paraffin or linseed
oil to protect them from rusting.
16
6
4
.
4
6
4
48
18 91-H
7
12 1
6
1-H
12
2