SAFER PHOTOFLASH COMPOSITIONS BASED ON

BLUE ALUMINUM

John Steinberg, Joseph A. Domanico, and Edward R. Hostetter

Summer Pyrotechnics Seminars LLC
USA

13th International Symposium on Fireworks

It-13 Simpo ju Internazzjonali tal-Log ob tan-Nar

April 23-27, 2012

23-27 ta’April, 2012

Valletta, Malta
 SAFER PHOTOFLASH COMPOSITIONS BASED ON BLUE ALUMINUM

John Steinberg
Joseph A. Domanico
Edward R. Hostetter

Summer Pyrotechnics Seminars LLC

6 Dixie Drive
Bel Air, MD 21014-5411 USA

ABSTRACT

Blue Aluminum is a novel and exciting new blend of powdered aluminum specifically
designed for use in making photoflash compositions for pyrotechnic salutes safer to
manufacture while preserving function equal to current formulae. Through several months of
experimentation, encompassing both successes and failures, a formulation satisfying this goal
has been discovered.

This new blend of aluminum powders now offers equal or increased amplitude when used in
larger fireworks salutes, with an order of magnitude of increased safety in the manufacturing
and handling aspects. No special casings are needed, and only minor changes to the ignition
train are recommended for ultra-reliable ignition. Standard cross-matched time fuse seems
adequate with potassium perchlorate/Blue Aluminum/sulfur compositions whereas spolettes
with black match nosings work best with binary potassium perchlorate/Blue Aluminum
compositions. Use of additional black match in the ignition, burst bags using meal D black
powder, blending the Blue Aluminum with Obron German Dark (using 70-80% Blue
Aluminum), or adding sulfur are all methods used to assure reliable function.

The authors of this paper provide technical support to users of Blue Aluminum to best match
the product’s properties and desired function to the needs of the particular salute product.
With the use of both consumer and display fireworks on the rise, not only in the United States
but also abroad, the need for increased manufacturing safety is mandatory. Making crowd
pleasing THUMPS during a colorful fireworks display always brings cheers from the crowds.
And what would a world class fireworks display be without a 1000 salute finale?

322
 INTRODUCTION

The question of safety is usually the first topic of discussion when the word "photoflash" is
mentioned. Often, even the mere mention of this word in a conversation will make an
individual take a step backward away from the speaker. Such fears are natural…..and
justified. The safe manufacture of photoflash composition requires an extensive knowledge of
the components, the quantity to be mixed, the location of other nearby materials and persons,
the temperature and relative humidity, and many other important pieces of information.

Many different types and grades of finely powdered aluminum have been successfully
blended into photoflash compositions. These compositions typically use ultra-fine grade
potassium perchlorate in a 70:30 blend with metal powders, but many require the addition of
a third or fourth ingredient to have reliable ignition. Often, that third or fourth ingredient
lowers the ignition temperature and makes the overall photoflash blend more prone to
accidental ignition by friction or electrostatic discharge. Table 1 shows a sample of the many
possible fuels that are used in photoflash compositions.

Table 1 - Some Fuels for Photoflash Compositions

Fuel
German Dark Aluminum
Indian Dark Aluminum
Standard -325 mesh Aluminum
Chinese Flake Aluminum
American Bright Flake
Flake Aluminum
Dark Pyro Aluminum
Note
Aluminum with an organic coating to aid ignition
Similar to German Dark Aluminum
Requires sulfur and some dark aluminum
Most often used with chlorates in very small quantities
Requires some dark aluminum for reliable ignition
Requires lycopodium powder for reliable ignition
Often needs sulfur or antimony trisulfide

How then, can photoflash composition be made in such a manner as to utilize what
information we have about the composition and its components in such a manner as to
minimize accidental ignition? The answer to this question is …..Blue Aluminum.

Blue aluminum is a novel and exciting blend of various aluminum powders. There is no
magic or wizardry, just the application of scientific principles. Using the theory that various
pyrotechnic compositions behave differently when burning under various pressures, one can
focus on only the fuels in photoflash composition. Using the "standard" blend of 30 fuel and
70 oxidizer, the only variable that needs to be modified to achieve the desired safety goals is
the fuel, or in this case, the aluminum powder.

A reference can be drawn of this phenomenon, by using the example of common black
powder rockets. Black powder rocket motor grains behave differently under changes in the
internal pressure inside the rocket motor. Often, a slight change in the internal pressure of a
black powder rocket motor results in the ever famous CATO or "Catastrophe After Take Off"
event. To the untrained observer this is simply a reinforcement of the belief that a rocket is
just a bomb on a stick. The actual scientific truth is that the burning rate of compressed black
powder is extremely sensitive to increases in the ambient pressure.

The Blue Aluminum blended photoflash powders capitalize on this understanding by

providing a composition that has a distinctively slow burn rate at ambient pressure and an
exponentially rising burn rate at increased pressures. The variegated particle sizes and shapes
result in a slight delay in the rate of rise for the nominal burn rate when exposed to an internal

323
pressure rise. In a standard cylindrical salute casing, normally used in fireworks, this results
in the casing bursting at a slightly higher internal pressure (due to the rate of rise curve being
steeper), with the result of an increase in the amplitude of the sound wave. To achieve this
increase in sound level, more dangerous blends of salute powders (i.e. blends with chlorates,
sulfides, etc.) would need to be used. Figure 1 graphically shows this delay in the burn rate
curve. The six frames have been extracted from a normal speed video record. Notice that the
third frame shows a decrease in light intensity when compared to the second and fourth
frames.

Figure 1 - Light Intensity Decrease in a Blue Aluminum Salute

METHOD AND RESULTS

Three separate sizes of small test devices were prepared using convolute wound cardboard
tubes and end plugs. They were functioned in an open air test by suspending them in a typical
ground salute frame normally used for such tests. The collected data was a relative
comparison of sound level using experienced pyrotechnicians. Each individual rated the test
samples and the similarly prepared standard salutes made with both German Blackhead and
Chinese Bright Flake aluminum. In the 3-gram test configuration, the Chinese Bright took top
honors with the Blue Aluminum scoring louder than the German Blackhead. In both the 7 and
10-gram test samples, the Blue Aluminum was rated loudest of the three aluminums. Table 2
shows the test results.

Table 2 - Small Scale Test Results

Aluminum Type 3-gram test 7-gram test 10-gram test
German Dark Aluminum 80% 80% 80%
Chinese Bright Aluminum 100% 90% 90%
Blue Aluminum 90% 100% 100%

The results listed in Table 2 indicate that Blue Aluminum would not be recommended for
smaller sized devices. Using Blue Aluminum in salutes fewer than 10 grams is not
recommended, nor is it suitable in consumer fireworks firecracker-sized items.

324
The second test series was conducted to get quantitative data on the sound level of the various
possible photoflash compositions using a standard type of flash-grade aluminum powder,
blue aluminum powder, and the effect of the addition of a small amount of sulfur. Tests also
examined the characteristics of an aluminum powder consisting of 80% Blue Aluminum and
20% Obron German dark aluminum, shown in the tables as “2011-01 + Obron GD”. As noted
below, when the designation “2011-01” is used, this refers to the lot number of the Blue
Aluminum production run. Sulfur was chosen as an ignition enhancer to preclude the need to
begin a separate series of tests of reliable ignition methods.

These "bottle" tests used a standard Nalgene brand polyethylene bottle, containing 50 g of the
candidate photoflash composition, and an electric match normally used for professional
fireworks shells. Table 3 shows the quantitative results of the sound level from the bottle
tests. Obron GD Grade aluminum powder was chosen for this series of experiments due to its
availability and known handling characteristics. The blue aluminum was referred to by its lot
number 2011-01. The sulfur used was standard low acidity "flour" grade.

Table 3 - Sound Pressure Results

Sample Fuel/ Sulfur Peak Positive Phase Sound Pressure
Oxidizer Addition Overpressure Duration Level
Blend (psi) (ms) (dB)
Obron GD 30/70 --- 5.83 0.82 186.1
2011-01 30/70 --- 5.79 0.82 186.1
2011-01 + 30/70 --- 5.89 0.82 186.1
Obron GD
Obron GD 30/70 10 6.02 0.83 186.4
2011-01 30/70 10 6.14 0.80 186.6
2011-01 + 30/70 10 6.17 0.81 186.6
Obron GD

The interpretation of these results is as follows:

1. The addition of sulfur to the binary composition minimally increases peak overpressure
while leaving the sound level output and blast overpressure duration unchanged. This
reinforces the fact that sulfur has minimal impact on the output and function.
2. Blue Aluminum functions virtually the same when used as the sole aluminum source as it
does in a blend of 80% Blue Aluminum and 20% Obron German Dark Aluminum.
3. The decisions to use Blue Aluminum in binary compositions or with sulfur in trinary
compositions, or to use Blue Aluminum itself or blended with ultra-fine flake aluminums, are
guided more by the manufacturer’s ignition techniques and considerations of the relative
sensitivities of the various compositions to varying means of initiation.

The third series of tests was the fabrication of standard 3” (76 mm) salutes. This size salute is
the most often manufactured, and therefore, has the highest utility for the application of
safety in manufacturing. While there are several choices of aluminums that can be used to
make a decent quality photoflash composition, Obron GD was once again chosen for this
series of experiments due to its availability and known handling characteristics.

A 3” (76 mm) salute casing is 3.0” (76 mm) long, has a wall thickness of 0.47” (12 mm),
inside diameter of 1.62” (41 mm), and outside diameter of 2.56” (65 mm). Figure 2 shows a
typical 3" (76 mm) casing. Salutes contain about 55 g of composition. With Blue Aluminum,

325
blending of the bulk photoflash composition can be performed using the diaper method, but
in much larger quantities than would normally be considered safe (or even sane). Figure 3
shows a typical blending operation for the manufacture of bulk salute photoflash powder.

Figure 2 - Three inch Salute Casing Figure 3 - Bulk Salute Powder Manufacture

Test batches were hand blended and tested by using propane torch exposed flame. The test
criteria was that approximately 30 g of loose blue aluminum photoflash composition would
not sustain burning when tested in a small pile with the dimensions of 4” (10 cm) long by 1”
(2.54 cm) wide. Figure 4 shows a typical safety test setup.

Figure 4 - Open Flame testing of Blue Aluminum Flash Composition

Consistent with the thermal sensitivity data shown below, the binary photoflash composition
suffered no ignitions in five out of five tests. The propane torch flame was applied for a
minimum of three minutes. Aluminum was observed to melt. Our assumption is that the
potassium perchlorate was entirely decomposed to KCl, yielding its oxygen, though chemical
analyses of the residue were not conducted.

Tests of a three-component formulation resulted in three ignitions out of five tests. Once
ignited, the compositions burned slowly, giving off showers of white sparks. None of the
open air, atmospheric pressure burn tests of the sulfur-containing systems yielded an
accelerated burn as seen with the standard photoflash powders. There was no indication of
open air deflagration, rather, only a slow combustion as seen with various gerb compositions.

326