The Performance of Red Flare Pyrotechnic Compositions Modified with Gas Generating Additives

Abstract

In this work, an effective, but still not well‐explored area of red flare pyrotechnic formulations was investigated. High magnesium content (40–60 % w.t.) and the presence of conventional gas generating materials were the specific features of formulations explored herein. Such illuminant compositions possessed a low burning rate and high specific luminous intensity. The investigated system was based on strontium nitrate, rounded magnesium powder, chlorinated rubber, binder and gas generating additives. Emission spectra, light intensity and burning time have been measured during the experiment and recalculated to the specific luminous intensity and color purity. Additives in the form of 2‐cyanoguanidine, Melamine, Azodicarbonamide, Calcium resinate, Shellac, Strontium oxalate, Lactose, Dextrin, Phenolic resin, Lignin sulfonate, 5‐aminotetrazole, Urea, Guanidinium nitrate (GN), Hexamine and Sulfur were evaluated in Mg‐rich flare compositions. The use of GN was studied more carefully as an exceptionally efficient additive that increased the flares light intensity by 60 %, in comparison to the standard GN‐free composition, while maintaining high color purity of 90–97 %.

Novel CaCO3-Based Material Formulation for Orange-Colored Spectrum Tracer Projectile

“…Among the investigated additive materials, guanidinium nitrate (GN) showed the best performance to generate a high specific luminosity (Lsp). It found that the Lsp value is comparable to the total amount of oxygen and nitrogen present in the gas generating additive [19]. Further, blue color, with the wavelength ranging from 425 -500 nm, is commonly generated from copper based-compounds such as CuCO3.Cu(OH)2 [13], Cu powder electrolytic, basic copper carbonate Cu2(CO3)(OH)2, copper benzoate, Paris green, CuOCl, CuO [20] and Cu3Cl3 [21].…”

Development of green‐colour‐emitting pyrotechnics as a core for 3D temperature imaging sensors inside coal boilers

“…It is imperative that the colour produced by the pyrotechnic powder should be easily distinguishable from this background colour that occurs primarily from the combustion of coal. While many different pyrotechnic flame colours such as red, [4][5][6][7][8][9][10] blue, [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] green, [9,[20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] and a combination of these three are possible, green was selected as an easily identifiable colour, and formulations that emit green light were synthesized for this study.…”

Pyrotechnic Strobe Compositions: an Overview

“…These compositions were described as being not only cost-effective but also as having significant military and civilian applications. Red flare pyrotechnic compositions of high light intensity and color purity were obtained by Juknelevicius et al [3] using guanidinium nitrate as an additive component to classical mixtures. A study by Glück et al [4] showed that strontium nitrate can be successfully substituted by compounds of lithium as an effective, less environmentally polluting red colorant.…”