Pyrotechnics 101

Welcome to the Pyrotechnics 101

This is a planning page for a future course to be taught at Monmouth College. The course will be taught by a chemistry professor and the campus' lead electrician.

The rules that regulate the fireworks in the state of Illinois can be found here

Fireworks are classified as a hazardous material (HAZMAT) class 1.3. The United Nations classification system can be found here; the classification by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) can be found here. Consumer grade fireworks (where allowed are classified as 1.4.

Possible Textbooks

The Chemistry of Fireworks: 2nd Ed.

A PDF of this text can be found here

An online version of the first edition can be found here

Fireworks Company

Both instructors are employees of J&M Displays

Topics

Chemistry

Oxidizer (species being reduced)

Potassium nitrate (2 NO3- --> N2 + 3 O2)

Potassium Perchlorate

Reducer (Fuel; species being oxidized)

Magnesium powder (Mg--> Mg2+)

Aluminum powder (Al --> Al3+)

Mag/Al alloy (magnalium; raises flame temp)

Sulfur (S --> SO2)

Charcoal/carbon (C --> CO2)

Effect/Color

Strontium nitrate

Calcium nitrate/carbonate (orange)

Copper oxide (blue)

Strontium chloride (red)

Sodium silicate (orange/yellow)

Barium acetate/carbonate (green)

course magnesium (white sparks)

Burning mixture (potassium perchlorate+ red gum) Ammonium nitrate - explosive (nitrate is oxidizer and ammonium hydrogens are a reducer)

Heat output

Burning rate

Hygroscopic compounds best

Aerial Shells

Shell (spherical)

lift charge (black powder)

Timing/delay fuse with "pass-fire tube")

bursting charge

effect (pellets)

Mortar tube fuse

Lab Activities

Week 1

ACS: The Chemistry of Fireworks, John A. Conkling, Ph.D. (6 min)

ACS: Fireworks: The Chemistry in the Color (2 min)

Week 2

Shell Design

How Fireworks Work: Ball Shells (4 mins)

TOP 10 AMAZING HOMEMADE FIREWORKS #1 (9 mins)

TOP 10 AMAZING HOMEMADE FIREWORKS #2 (10 mins)

TOP 10 AMAZING HOMEMADE FIREWORKS #3 (11 min)

Week 3

Shell Construction

7 Inch Double Petal Ballshell Rocket Heading, Experimental. See note below the video (52 mins)

Week 4

Rockets

Fireworks Rocket Master 2016 (22 mins)

Week 5

Flash powder

how to make flash powder (4 min)

Potassium perchlorate - 7 grams

Aluminum powder - 3 grams

Firecracker using flash - WARNING: WORKING WITH TOO MUCH MATERIAL How to make an m80 or other fire cracker