The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives - Sciencemadness Dot Org

88 PYROTECHNICS
Zinc dust 72 80
Potassium nitrate 28
Potassium chlorate 15
Potassium dichromate 12
Granulated charcoal 12
Fine charcoal 14
Sulfur 5
Dextrin 2 2
The first of these formulas is the more difficult to mix and the
more expensive. All its components except the charcoal are first
FIGURE 30. Spreader Stars from a Battery of Rockets.
mixed and dampened; the granulated charcoal, which must be
free from dust, is then mixed in, and the stars are formed with
a pump. They throw off two kinds of fire when they burn, masses
of brightly burning zinc and particles of glowing charcoal. Weingart
recommends that the second formula be made into cut stars
% inch on the side. Spreader stars because of the zinc which they
contain are much heavier than other stars. Rockets and aerial
bombs cannot carry at! many of them.