Sparkler- this is a manual pyrotechnic
a product consisting of a mixture of substances spread on a wire, which
when burned, it produces a bright and sparkling white or colored fire.
Bengal
fire was invented by the ancient pyrotechnicians of Bengal - part of India,
located along the Bay of Bengal. That's where the name comes from
"sparkler". Sparklers, or sparklers, from India
spread throughout the world.
Purchased (factory)
Bengal candles consist of steel wire on which is applied
flammable mixture, and usually produces a white fire with branching sparks.
Main
The difference between sparklers and the main part of pyrotechnics is
the ability to use them indoors, on holidays
tables Such products do not emit hazardous substances to human health.
combustion products.
Compositions of sparklers have long been
invented and tested, the reagents are relatively accessible.
I will provide you with the compositions of sparklers by Platov:
Composition No. 1
Barium nitrate…………………………50%
Dextrin……………………………12-14%
Aluminum powder……………….6-8%
Burnished steel filings……30%
Composition No. 2
Barium nitrate…………………………50%
Dextrin……………………………12-14%
PAM No. 4……………………………6-8%
Burnished cast iron sawdust……30%
Composition No. 3
Barium nitrate…………………………50%
Dextrin……………………………12-14%
Magnesium powder No. 4………….6-8%
Burnished steel filings…….30%
(PAM – Aluminum-Magnesium Powder)
How
you see, in all compositions there is no sulfur and salts (sodium, potassium),
due to which the composition does not emit smoke or substances harmful to the body.
U
Unfortunately, I do not have access to Barium Nitrate (which in most
cases can only be purchased in chemical stores), so I will describe to you another
composition and method of making sparklers that can be safely
use outdoors, just like factory products.
My sparkler composition is as follows:
Aluminum powder – 5g
Dextrin – 2g
Cast iron sawdust – 5-6g
The indicated quantity is enough for 6-8 pieces.
Aluminum gunpowder was used in the proportion for pyrotechnics - 50:15:35.
This is the main flammable composition that will produce a bright white fire.
Gunpowder contains sulfur, which will produce smoke when burned, so
Sparklers with this composition can only be used on fresh
air.
Dextrin
homemade was used, it binds our composition, provides
good fastening of it with wire, reduces the burning rate of al.
gunpowder
Crushed cast iron filings were also used,
which form flying sparks. They should be average
grainy, not powder!
Instead of cast iron filings, you can also use iron, titanium, steel, and possibly aluminum.
From
We will need a small container for mixing the composition and
a tall narrow vessel, a glass flask is best, but you can
use a blank thick marker.
How
Practice has shown that the composition can only be mixed in a plastic case
from vitamin “Revit”, in a jar from vitamin “Undevit and Pikovit” composition
becomes very bad and may not light up at all. In a jar from
vitamin “Hexavit” it is not recommended to mix the composition, as it
may detonate from excessive mechanical stress, and ready-made
sparklers will fly out of your hands like rockets. I described this
Very important point because beginners often neglect technique
safety! And you need to know every nuance.
And so, it's simple:
1. You already have your aluminum powder ready, pour 5g into a container and put it in there
pour in 2g of dry dextrin, mix well, then 5-6g
metal filings. Cast iron produces the most beautiful, branching yellow
sparks. Aluminum and titanium produce white sparks.
2.
First you need to prepare steel (!) pieces of wire length
12-15cm, 1mm thick, and make curved hooks on all of them at one end.
The wire must be steel, not copper or aluminum,
because the combustion temperature of al is high. gunpowder can literally
melt and burn.
3. Now pour the composition into the flask and add a little solvent (water or alcohol) to the consistency of condensed milk, mix.
(The composition is then very easily washed off with water from any dishes and hands.)
4.
At the next stage we need to soak and coat the wire in liquid
composition (if there is little composition and it is all at the bottom, then just turn it over
flask horizontally so that the composition sticks to the desired piece of wire -
about 8-10cm.)
Shake the excess mass (droplets) into the flask so that they do not drip onto the floor.
5. There should be 5 layers in total, after the first layer the wire will only thicken a little, this is a primer, so to speak...
Then we hang it by the hooks and dry it on a line for about 15 minutes.
Cover the flask with a lid during this time so that the water does not evaporate and the composition does not dry out.
This is what it looks like after the 3rd layer:
Hang to dry again for 20-30 minutes, during which time you can go about your business.
These are ready-made and dried sparklers after 5 layers of composition:
It’s not as smooth and beautiful as from the packaging, but we don’t need that, we’re not at the factory.
That's all, these sparklers are easy to light and burn beautifully:
Attention!
So that there are no questions. I made this composition for the first time and put everything
3g of cast iron filings, that's why there are so few sparks. There wasn't enough for a second portion
dextrin. Therefore, do everything as indicated in the proportion, put 6g
sawdust (it will be a very small pile in volume) and you will have
enough sparks, like in real fires.
Sparkler- a pyrotechnic product, which is a metal rod coated with a flammable mixture, which, when burned, gives a beautiful sparkling flame. The main advantage of this pyrotechnic product is the ability to be used indoors (outside festive tables), because When fuel burns, no harmful substances are released into the air.
Who invented sparklers
In ancient India (5th – 6th centuries AD), on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, religious ceremonies were held in the temples of Bengal. For many years they were carried out using fire. The clergy wanted to involve in the rituals as much as possible more people. To do this, it was necessary to come up with something bright and effective. And so they gave the task to pyrotechnicians to invent such a fire that it would fascinate all people with its flame. It is unknown who exactly invented sparklers, but such a fire appeared at one of the ceremonies. It was of extraordinary brightness and beauty; hundreds of sparks emanated from it, which did not cause any burns. This made a huge impression on people and word of the miracle fire quickly spread throughout the Bay Area. In total, two types of fire were developed: “Evil” and “Blessed”. The first contained sulfur, which released an unpleasant odor when burned. The second type of fire did not emit an unpleasant odor; apparently, rosin was used instead of sulfur.
In the 8th century Pyrotechnicians invented colored lights: yellow, blue, green. In addition, a way was found to increase the burning time; plant stems and wide leaves twisted into a tube were used for this. Merchants brought sparklers to Europe after trade routes between Europe and India were opened. This type of pyrotechnics quickly gained popularity, and not a single festive event was complete without sparklers.
Modern sparklers do not contain harmful substances. Components: barium nitride, magnesium or aluminum powder, starch or dextrin, oxidized steel filings.
How to make a sparkler
This pyrotechnic product is quite easy to make at home, you just need to acquire the necessary components and mix them in certain proportions.
We present to your attention three compositions described in the book by G.A. Platov “Pyrotechnician. The art of making fireworks." All these recipes are free of sulfur, sodium and potassium salts. Thanks to this, you can use them without fear for your health.
First lineup:
- Barium nitrate 50%
- Blued steel filings 30%
- Dextrin 12 - 14%
- Aluminum powder 6 – 8%
Second composition:
- Barium nitrate 50%
- Cast iron burnished sawdust 30%
- Dextrin 12 – 14%
- Aluminum-magnesium powder (PAM) No. 4 6 – 8%
Third line-up:
- Barium nitrate 50%
- Blued steel filings 30%
- Dextrin 12 – 14%
- Magnesium powder No. 4 6 – 8%
These compositions allow you to make sparklers with your own hands.
We will show an example of manufacturing using a different composition (without using barium nitrate).
Making sparklers
To make 6 - 8 pieces, you will need:
- Cast iron sawdust (medium grain) 5-6 gr.
- Aluminum powder 5 gr.
- Dextrin 2 gr.
- Steel rods (thickness 1 mm.)
Aluminum powder We produce according to a recipe optimally suitable for pyrotechnic products.
To do this, mix:
- Potassium nitrate 50%
- Aluminum powder 35%
- Sulfur 15%
The mixture must be thoroughly ground in a mortar.
Since gunpowder contains sulfur, manufactured sparklers cannot be used indoors.
Dextrin made from starch. Sprinkle starch evenly onto a baking sheet and place it in the oven preheated to 200ºC. We bake it for about an hour and a half, stirring occasionally (make sure that the starch does not melt or roll into lumps). As a result, the powder will turn yellowish-brown in color.
So, all the components are ready and we can start making the sparkler.
We cut the steel wire into pieces 12 - 15 cm long. At one end, we bend these pieces (making a hook). Important! It is necessary to use steel rods; aluminum or copper will not work; they will simply melt when burned.
Pour 5 grams of aluminum powder and 2 grams of dextrin powder into a glass. Mix well, then add 6 grams of metal filings to the mixture (you can add cast iron, they give yellow sparks; aluminum or titanium, they give white sparks). Mix.
Pour the composition into the flask and add a little water or alcohol. Bring the mixture to the consistency of condensed milk.
Now we immerse the prepared steel rods into the substance by 8 - 10 cm. Let the composition adhering to the wire dry. It will take about 15 minutes to dry.
Then apply a second layer and let dry again. Thus, you need to apply 5 layers. During drying, do not forget to cover the flask so that the liquid does not evaporate from the composition.
This is what DIY sparklers will look like.
It's time for testing.
As you can see, homemade sparklers (specifically these ones) produce few sparks. The reason for this is the fact that during manufacturing only 3 grams of cast iron filings were added to the composition. But if you strictly follow the instructions described above and add 6 grams of sawdust to the composition, then there will be much more sparks (as in real lights).
Based on materials from the site: vzrivpaket.com
The main difference between sparklers and other pyrotechnic products is their ability to be used indoors. They are used to create a festive atmosphere at birthdays and other celebrations.
Today, sparklers can be of different sizes, have different shapes, and create not only light but also sound effects. A large selection of pyrotechnics is presented on the website http://www.bah-bah.ru/rzd-9.html.
What is a sparkler
This pyrotechnic product was invented in ancient India on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, which is why these flying sparks are called “sparklers”.
Today, several varieties of sparklers are produced in factory conditions, for each of which a special recipe has been developed. The basis of a sparkler candle is steel wire coated with a mixture, the combustion of which produces a white fire with sparks flying in different directions.
During the combustion process there is no formation of smoke or other harmful substances. This is due to the absence of sulfur and sodium and potassium salts in the mixture. Thanks to this feature, we can light sparklers indoors and decorate cakes with them.
What is a sparkler made of?
There are several recipes for producing beautiful fiery sparks. The simplest of them is the following:
- aluminum gunpowder. You will need 5 grams of it. When burned, this substance emits acrid smoke, so such candles can only be used outdoors;
- dextrin is introduced into the composition as an adhesive, which ensures the bonding of the combustible mixture with the wire;
- Cast iron filings should be medium in size, do not use fine powder. The presence of metal filings in the mixture ensures the appearance of sparks;
- thick wire. It is necessary to use steel wire, since other metals and alloys may melt during combustion.
To make candles, we will also need a flask or other tall container.
Manufacturing process
First, all ingredients are mixed in a container of suitable size. After the metal filings have been added to the gunpowder and dextrin glue, a small amount of water must be added to the mixture. The result should be the consistency of thick sour cream or condensed milk.
The finished mixture is moved into a narrow flask, and blanks of the same length are cut from steel wire. At the end of each wire stick you should make a small hook, from which candles will be hung for drying.
Each metal stick is dipped into the solution and sent to dry. This action should be repeated several times to ensure that the layer of the combustible mixture is sufficiently thick.
Master class on making sparklers - in this video:
Invented many centuries ago by the inhabitants of ancient India. One of the parts of the country is Bengal - a place on the coast of the bay of the same name, which is why such small fireworks are called Bengal. These are thin wire sticks on which a mixture of chemical elements is applied, which, when burned, produce a peculiar crackling sound and bright colored flashes.
Nowadays, such safe and beautiful lights are widely used all over the world at festivals, weddings, anniversaries, and sparklers are especially often purchased before the New Year. It’s safe to light them even at home, you can let your children admire such beauty, they are incredibly happy at such moments.
Of course, the easiest way to buy such fun is in a store or market, but for those who like chemical experiments, we’ll tell you in the article on how to make a sparkler at home.
Getting ready for the process
To start mixing the necessary chemical ingredients, you need to prepare them in advance. Many people are hesitant to create sparklers with their own hands, thinking that choosing materials is very difficult. We will now look at the simplest way to prepare the ingredients.
First you need to cut the steel wire into equal pieces. It is advisable that the length of the handle be at least 15 cm so that the fireworks fire does not burn your fingers. The total length is taken to be 20-25 cm.
Then you need to prepare a vessel where the ingredients will be mixed. It should be narrow and long so that you can place the sticks in the mixture without smearing the handle.
For the mixture itself you will need to take 5 grams of aluminum powder and the same amount of aluminum sawdust. You also need dextrin - 2 grams.
We produce dextrin
If, in order to make sparklers at home, you were unable to find the last necessary element, do not worry, you can make it in your own kitchen, having starch and a frying pan.
Having preheated the oven to a temperature of 200 degrees, place a frying pan in it, on which ordinary starch is spread in a thin layer. Occasionally you need to stir the contents with a wooden spoon.
The result is a dark yellow or brown powder after one hour of simmering in the oven. This will be the missing chemical element to make sparklers at home. Dextrin acts as a binding element so that the mixture sticks well to the steel wire and does not crumble before it ignites.
The process of mixing the mixture
After the resulting powder has cooled, begin to mix the ingredients. First, aluminum powder and fried starch are thoroughly mixed. Then sawdust is added and everything is carefully mixed again. Next, to make sparklers with your own hands, you need to place the resulting powder in a long vessel. You can use a tall chemical flask or take a thin, preferably glass bottle, but some craftsmen even used plastic packaging from a marker.
Then you need to add a little water or alcohol. Mix the liquid, adding in small portions to obtain the consistency of condensed milk or thick sour cream.
How to make sparklers: the final stage
Before dipping the steel wire into the mixed mixture, experienced craftsmen advise first bending the edge of the wire. The resulting hook is more convenient for hanging sparklers to dry.
Now you know how to make sparklers at home. All that remains is to figure out how to apply the mixture to a stick. This process is not fast. It is necessary to observe safety precautions when working with such a mixture, try to protect your hands, mucous membranes of the eyes and mouth from contact with the solution.
The sticks must be inserted into the flask five times. After each dive, allow the mixture to “drip” from the wire, carefully transfer it and hang it on the hooks of the rope. Place unnecessary dishes underneath, just in case the solution drips onto the table.
You need to dip the wire only 5-10 cm, no more, leaving a longer length for the handle. Mandatory The condition before making a sparkler yourself is to prepare the steel wire. If the metal is different, for example copper or aluminum, then when ignited, the high temperature will melt the wire and burn your fingers. It's not safe! So it’s better not to experiment, but to listen to experienced masters and not risk your health.
For a wedding, you can make a surprise for the newlyweds. Knowing how to make sparklers with your own hands, you can twist the wire into a heart shape and decorate it beautifully, placing it on the newlyweds’ table in a metal bucket, as in the photo above.
What can you replace the ingredients with?
You can use aluminum gunpowder instead of powder in the composition for making a flammable mixture. It is taken in the same proportion, but the gunpowder will give the fire a bright white. The only thing bad for a gunpowder sparkler is the presence of sulfur powder in its composition. If you did use this bulk mixture, do not light a fire indoors. The sulfur will produce smoke.
You can also use cast iron filings instead of aluminum ones. They sparkle even more, and the sparkler turns out more beautiful.
Afterword
From the article you already understand how to make a sparkler with your own hands. This is not difficult and can be done if desired. You can diversify the sparkler sticks, make not only hearts for lovers for a holiday or wedding, but also all sorts of figurines of your child’s favorite characters for his birthday or numbers for a cake showing how old the birthday person is.
He will be incredibly happy. If you also involve him in creating a masterpiece, then you will interest your baby in scientific experiments. And such curiosity will help him when studying at school.
None New Year or Christmas does not pass without the lighting of beautiful and bright sparklers, scattering shining sparkles around them, as if by magic. But few people think about how such “stars” are made and where they came from. But you can even make sparkler candles yourself!
A little about the history of sparklers
The history of the first sparklers goes back centuries and is lost in the wilds of ancient India. Scientists generally believe that the first chemical experiments with flashing bright fire were carried out for religious purposes on the altars of Bengal back in the 5th century AD. e. It is known that to achieve the magical effect of a “sparkler”, clergy threw pre-mixed mixtures containing, among other things, sulfur or rosin, into the altar. When caught in a flame, such a mixture began to burn brightly and sparkle, scattering into stars. Then, as history says, sparklers appeared on Far East, from there they moved to Valencia and Spain, and then spread throughout Europe.
What and how are sparklers made from?
To begin with, it should be noted that there are two types of sparklers:
- fiery;
- sparkling.
The production of now rare flaming sparklers was carried out by the Russian scientist and pyrotechnician Professor Petrov. The main difference between flaming lights and the well-known sparkling lights is that chemical composition was placed in a paper sleeve rather than applied to a stick. In addition, clay plugs were made in the sleeve, and the candle burned out completely, so it was impossible to hold it in your hands. But at the same time, it gave a bright, strong and even flame, so that if you put it on a holder, you got a convenient lantern or torch.
In modern pyrotechnics, only sparkling sparklers are used. The advantages of such products are obvious:
- thanks to the cold combustion temperature, you can light fires not only on the street, but also in the apartment, and you can hold them in your hands;
- when sparks hit furnishings, they do not cause harm and do not cause fire;
- sparklers do not emit ammonia and do not smoke;
- When burning, the candle scatters beautiful sparks that shine with a golden or silver hue.
So what are sparklers made from? First, a metal rod is prepared, onto which the pyrotechnic composition will then be applied. Basically, ordinary iron wire is used, which is cut into pieces of a standard length for lights. The sparkler recipe will be impossible to replicate without knowing how to mix the flammable composition. Each ingredient is carefully measured and poured in a specific order. For example, if you don’t add enough iron to the mixture according to the recipe, the candle will burn without beautiful scattering sparks.
The simplest pyrotechnic mixture for sparklers consists of the following components:
- iron filings;
- aluminum powder;
- magnesium powder;
- potassium chlorate;
- salt.
When these substances combine, white fire is formed. If it is necessary to give it a tint, then additionally add starch with water, boiled into a paste. To get a green tint, barium nitrate is added, for red, strontium nitrate is needed, and for yellow, sodium oxalate is needed. For multi-colored combustion of sparklers, you will have to mix the cations of strontium, sodium, barium, boron, iron, aluminum and magnesium. The reaction formula for such sparklers can be written as follows:
After the mixture is ready for use, it is applied to the rod in a certain proportion. Excess is cut off, irregularities are smoothed out. Next, the workpieces are sent for drying. Bengal candles will be ready only after a day of being in a dry and warm room. If the room temperature is below 25°C, then drying of the pyrotechnic substance will take up to a week. If you light candles with a wet composition, they will not burn and the product will simply be damaged. In addition, for combustion it is necessary to apply a flammable substance to completely dry candles so that the sparklers flare up immediately upon contact with the fire. After this, the products are sent back to drying. After a period of time, from 1 to 3 days depending on the temperature conditions in the room, the lights can be packaged and packaged for further storage.
How to make sparklers at home?
If you have free time and desire, making a sparkler with your own hands is not so difficult. You just need to allocate a place in the house where you can freely mix the pyrotechnic composition so that children or pets do not get to it. In addition, if the proportions are incorrect, the mixture may ignite, so it is advisable to make sparklers at home in outbuildings.
How to make sparklers? First you need to get aluminum gunpowder, dextrin and medium-grain cast iron (or titanium, steel, aluminum, iron) filings. To mix the composition of the sparklers, you will need an open square or rectangular container and a glass flask. You also need to remember to prepare metal rods made of wire up to 15 cm long. Since sparklers are made at home, it will be easiest to dry them by hanging them. This means that you need to bend a hook on the rods on one side.
5 grams of gunpowder, 2 grams of dextrin and 5 grams of shavings are poured into the container. After stirring, the mixture is poured into the flask and alcohol is added, the consistency should be quite thick. Now you can dip the rod into the flask. After which the rod is hung by the hook to dry on a pre-stretched rope. 15-20 minutes are enough for the mixture to dry and you can dip the workpiece into the flask again. Thus, 5 layers are made, after which the future sparkler is hung for final drying, which, depending on the temperature, can last from 1 to 7 days.