Not a single New Year or Christmas passes without the ignition of beautiful and bright sparklers, scattering around them, as if by magic, shining sparks. But few people think about how such "asterisks" are produced and where they came from. But Bengal candles can even be made independently!
A little about the history of sparklers
The history of the first sparklers goes far back into the depths of centuries and is lost in the wilds of ancient India. It is generally accepted by scholars that the first chemical experiments with flashing bright fires were carried out for religious purposes on the altars of Bengal as early as the 5th century CE. e. It is known that in order to achieve the magical effect of "bengal fire", the clergy threw pre-mixed mixtures containing, among other things, sulfur or rosin into the altar. When it hit the flame, such a mixture began to burn brightly and sparkle, scattering into stars. Then, as history says, sparklers arose in the Far East, from there they moved to Valencia and Spain, and then spread throughout Europe.
What and how are sparklers made of?
To begin with, it should be noted that there are two types of sparklers:
- fiery;
- sparkling.
The Russian scientist and pyrotechnician Professor Petrov was engaged in the manufacture of now rare fiery Bengal candles. The main difference between fiery lights, from the well-known sparkling ones, is that the chemical composition was placed in a paper sleeve, and not 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 get a convenient lantern or torch.
In modern pyrotechnics, only sparkling Bengal candles are used. The advantages of such products are obvious:
- due 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 fall on furnishings, they do not cause harm and do not cause fire;
- Bengal candles do not emit ammonia and do not smoke;
- when burning, a candle scatters beautiful and shining sparks with a golden or silver tint.
So what are Bengal candles made of? First, a metal rod is prepared, on 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 recipe for sparklers will be impossible to repeat without knowing how to mix the igniter. Each ingredient is carefully measured and poured in a specific order. For example, if you do not throw enough iron into the mixture according to the recipe, then the candle will burn without beautiful crumbling sparks.
The simplest pyrotechnic mixture for sparklers consists of the following components:
- iron shavings;
- aluminum powder;
- magnesium powder;
- potassium chlorate;
- salt.
When these substances are combined, a white fire is formed. If it is necessary to give it a shade, then starch with water, boiled into a paste, is additionally added. Barium nitrate is added to get a green tint, strontium nitrate is needed for red, and sodium oxalate is needed for yellow. For multi-colored burning of sparklers, you will have to mix cations of strontium, sodium, barium, boron, iron, aluminum and magnesium. The formula for the reaction of 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 blanks are sent for drying. Bengal candles will be ready only after a day of being in a dry and warm room. If the temperature in the room is below 25°C, then the 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 ignition, it is required to apply a flammable substance to completely dry candles so that the sparklers flare up immediately upon contact with fire. After that, the products are again sent for 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 packed for further storage.
How to make sparklers at home?
If you have free time and a desire to make a Bengal fire with your own hands, it’s not so difficult. It is only necessary 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, with the wrong proportions, the mixture may ignite, so it is advisable to make sparklers at home, still in outbuildings.
How to make sparklers? First you need to get aluminum powder, dextrin and cast iron (or titanium, steel, aluminum, iron) sawdust of medium grain size. To mix the composition of sparklers, you will need an open square or rectangular container and a glass flask. You also need to remember to prepare metal wire rods up to 15 cm long. Since Bengal candles are made at home, it will be easiest to dry them in a suspended state. This means that on the rods on one side it is necessary to bend the hook.
5 grams of gunpowder, 2 grams of dextrin and 5 grams of chips are poured into the container. After mixing, the mixture is poured into a flask and alcohol is added, the consistency should be quite thick. Now you can dip the rod into the flask. After that, the rod is hung by the hook for drying on a pre-stretched rope. It takes 15-20 minutes 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 regime, can last from 1 to 7 days.
Burning Bengal fire at a temperature of 1100 ° C
sparklers- a mixture of substances that, when burned, gives a bright and sparkling white or colored fire, was invented by the ancient pyrotechnics of Bengal - part of Indialocated along the Bay of Bengal. Hence the name "Bengal fire". Bengal lights, or Bengal candles, from India have spread throughout the world.
Cooking sparklers
Purchased Bengal candles consist of twisted wire, which is coated with a combustible mixture, and usually give a white fire. To prepare colored homemade sparklers, starch is first mixed with water and a thick paste is brewed.
Then grind in a mortar a mixture of iron filings, aluminum or magnesium powder, salt, coloring the flame and wet "bertolet salt" - potassium chlorate KClO3 (Caution! Dry potassium chlorate, when rubbed, can ignite metal powders!)
The mixture obtained by rubbing is added to the starch paste and mixed thoroughly. The thick mass is transferred into a test tube or a tall glass, alternately dipped into it to a depth of 8-10 cm, pre-prepared iron wires about 1 mm thick, removed and allowed to drain excess mass, and then hung on a rope by a hook bent at the other end of the wire.
After drying, the wires are again dipped into the liquid mass and dried again. These operations are repeated 3-5 times until the mass layer on the wire reaches 5-6 mm in diameter, after which the Bengal candles are dried completely.
Green Bengal fire is obtained by mixing without grinding 5 g of wet barium nitrate Ba (NO3) 2 with 1 g of aluminum or magnesium powder, then add 3 g of iron filings. Another recipe for a green sparkler includes 3.5 g of boric acid B(OH)3, 6.5 g of wet potassium chlorate, 2 g of iron filings, and 1 g of aluminum powder.
Red Bengal fire gives a mixture of 4.5 g of wet strontium nitrate Sr (NO3) 2, 5.5 g of potassium chlorate, 3 g of iron filings and 1 g of aluminum or magnesium powder.
A yellow sparkler will please your eye if it is prepared from 3 g of sodium oxalate Na2C2O4, 5 g of wet potassium chlorate, 3 g of iron filings and 1 g of aluminum or magnesium powder.
Reactions
Colored fire during the combustion of Bengal mixtures is obtained due to the presence of substances containing barium cations, strontium, sodium or boron atoms, capable of emitting light of a certain wavelength in the visible region of the spectrum when they enter the flame. Iron Fe, aluminum Al and magnesium Mg in the form of powders or fine sawdust, when burned, give spectacular sparks. In this case, iron oxide (III) Fe 2 O 3 and partly Fe 3 O4, as well as Al 2 O 3 and MgO are formed.
Na 2 C 2 O 4 \u003d Na 2 CO 3 + CO
and boric acid B (OH) 3, releasing water, goes into boron oxide:
2B(OH) 3 = B 2 O 3 + 3H 2 O By the way: what are "oxalates"?
Oxalates are salts of oxalic acid H 2 C 2 O 4. 2H 2 O, colorless crystalline substance. Alkali metal and ammonium oxalates are colorless crystalline substances, readily soluble in water; the remaining oxalates are sparingly soluble.
Strong acids in their concentrated aqueous solutions decompose oxalates into salts of these acids with the release of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. For example, sodium oxalate Na2C2O4, under the action of concentrated sulfuric acid, turns into sodium sulfate, releasing CO and CO2:
Na 2 C 2 O 4 + H 2 SO 4 = Na 2 SO 4 + CO + CO 2 + H 2 O
Oxalic acid is dibasic and forms two series of salts: medium, for example, potassium oxalate monohydrate K 2 C 2 O 4. H 2 O, and acidic - hydrooxalates, for example, potassium hydroxalate monohydrate KHC 2 O 4. H 2 O. When heated, almost all oxalates decompose into metal carbonates and carbon monoxide CO. So, calcium oxalate CaC 2 O 4 turns into calcium carbonate and carbon monoxide:
CaC 2 O 4 \u003d CaCO 3 + CO
With stronger heating, CaCO 3 releases carbon dioxide CO 2, turning into calcium oxide CaO:
CaCO 3 \u003d CaO + CO 2
Oxalates in aqueous solutions exhibit reducing properties. For example, the interaction of sodium oxalate in an acidic environment with potassium permanganate leads to the release of carbon dioxide:
5Na 2 C 2 O 4 + 2KMnO 4 + 8H 2 SO 4 = K 2 SO 4 + 2MnSO 4 + 10CO 2 + 5Na 2 SO 4 + 8H 2 O
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See what "Bengal fire" is in other dictionaries:
Pyrotechnic composition, the burning of which is accompanied by the scattering of sparkling sparks. Usually applied to pieces of metal wire Bengal candles. Named from the signaling method first used in Bengal (India) using ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
A special combustible composition that gives a bright white or colored light. A complete dictionary of foreign words that have come into use in the Russian language. Popov M., 1907 ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
Pyrotechnic composition, the burning of which is accompanied by the scattering of sparkling sparks. Usually applied to pieces of metal wire Bengal candles. The name is from the signaling method first used in Bengal (India) using ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
sparkler- bengališkoji ugnis statusas T sritis chemija apibrėžtis Pirotechninis mišinys, susidedantis iš sieros, cukraus, KNO₃ ir Ba ar Sr druskų. atitikmenys: engl. bengal lights; sparklers rus. bengal fire... Chemijos terminų aiskinamasis žodynas
A pyrotechnic composition containing barium nitrate (oxidizing agent), powdered aluminum or magnesium (fuel), dextrin or starch (cementing agent), and oxidized iron or steel filings. The composition is applied to pieces of iron ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
So called. in pyrotechnics, a composition that spreads bright white or colored light when burned. It got its name from the signaling method used for the first time in India using light obtained by burning a mixture of 16 parts in bamboo tubes ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron
- (from the name of the historical region in India, Bengal) pyrotechnic. composition containing barium nitrate (oxidizing agent), powdered aluminum or magnesium, zhel. or steel filings (fuel) and dextrin or starch (cementing agent). When igniting B. o. slowly… … Big encyclopedic polytechnic dictionary
sparkler- A pyrotechnic composition that burns with a bright white or colored flame and scatters sparks ... Dictionary of many expressions
Fire, m. 1. only units. Incandescent luminous gases, separated from burning objects; flame. Strong o. Blow about. (see bloat). Make a fire (see make a fire). Warm up something. on fire. || The same as the source of the fire. Fire insurance. 2. pl.… … Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov
bengali, bengali, bengali. adj. to Bengal (province of India). Bengal tiger. ❖ Bengal fire pyrotechnic composition for illuminations, burning with colored fire. Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov
The main difference between sparklers and other pyrotechnic products is the possibility of using them indoors. They are used to create a festive atmosphere at birthdays and other celebrations.
Today, sparklers can be of different sizes, have different shapes, 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 bengal fire
This pyrotechnic product was invented in ancient India on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, which is why these flying sparks are called "Bengal fire".
Today, in factory conditions, several varieties of sparklers are produced, for each of which a special recipe has been developed. The basis of the Bengal candle is a steel wire coated with a mixture, which, when burned, produces a white fire with sparks flying in different directions.
During combustion, there is no formation of smoke and other harmful substances. This is due to the absence of sulfur and sodium and potassium salts in the composition of the mixture. Thanks to this feature, we can light Bengal candles indoors, decorate cakes with them.
What is Bengal fire made of?
There are several recipes for beautiful fire sparks. The simplest of these is the following:
- powder aluminum. It will need 5 grams. This substance emits acrid smoke when burned, 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;
- iron filings should be medium in size, do not use fine powder. The presence of metal filings in the composition of the mixture ensures the appearance of sparks;
- thick wire. Steel wire must be used as other metals and alloys may melt when burned.
To make candles, we also need a flask or other high capacity.
Manufacturing process
First, all the ingredients are mixed in a suitable container. 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, a small hook should be made, for which candles will be hung to dry.
Each metal stick is lowered into the solution and sent to dry. This action should be repeated several times so that the layer of the combustible mixture is of sufficient thickness.
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, give out a kind of crackle and bright color flashes.
Nowadays, such safe and beautiful lights are widely used around the world at festivities, weddings, anniversaries, and sparklers are especially often bought before the New Year. It is safe to light them even at home, you can let children admire such beauty, they are extremely happy at such moments.
Of course, it is easiest to buy such fun in a store or on the market, but for lovers of chemical experiments, we will tell in the article 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 do not dare to create sparklers with their own hands, thinking that it is very difficult to pick up materials. We will now consider the easiest way to prepare the components.
First you need to cut the steel wire into identical pieces. It is desirable that the length of the handle be at least 15 cm so that the fireworks do not burn the fingers. The total length is taken 20-25 cm.
Then you need to prepare a vessel where the ingredients will be mixed. It should be narrow and long in shape so that you can put the sticks into 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 make dextrin
If, in order to make sparklers at home, you could not find the last necessary element, do not be discouraged, you can make it in your own kitchen, having starch and a frying pan.
Preheating the oven to a temperature of 200 degrees, put a frying pan in it, on which ordinary starch is distributed in a thin layer. Occasionally stir the contents with a wooden spoon.
The result is a dark yellow or brown powder after one hour of languishing 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 adheres well to the steel wire and does not crumble before igniting.
Mixing process
After the resulting powder has cooled, the components begin to be mixed. First, aluminum powder and roasted starch are thoroughly mixed. Then sawdust is added and again everything is gently mixed. Next, for sparklers with your own hands, you need to place the resulting powder in a long vessel. You can use a high chemical flask or take a thin, glass bottle is better, but some masters even used plastic packaging from a marker.
Then you need to add a little water or alcohol. We mix the liquid, adding in small portions to get the consistency of condensed milk or thick sour cream.
How to make sparklers: the final step
Before dipping the steel wire into the mixed mixture, experienced craftsmen advise to pre-bend the edge of the wire. On the resulting hook, it is more convenient to hang sparklers to dry.
Now you know how to make a sparkler at home. It remains to understand how to apply the mixture on a stick. This process is not fast. It is necessary to observe safety precautions when working with such a mixture, try to protect hands, mucous membranes of the eyes and mouth from getting the solution.
The sticks must be inserted into the flask five times. After each dive, the mixture is allowed to "drop" from the wire, carefully transferred and hung on rope hooks. Place unnecessary dishes underneath, just in case the solution suddenly drips onto the table.
You need to dip the wire only 5-10 cm, no more, leaving a large length for the handle. Compulsory the condition, before making a sparkler yourself, is the preparation of steel wire. If the metal is different, for example, copper or aluminum, then when ignited, the wire will melt from high temperature and burn the fingers. It is not safe! So it’s better not to experiment, but to listen to experienced masters and not risk your health.
For a wedding, young people can make a surprise. Knowing how to make sparklers with your own hands, you can twist the wire in the shape of a heart and arrange it beautifully by placing it on the table for the newlyweds in a metal bucket, as in the photo above.
What can replace the ingredients?
It is possible to use aluminum powder instead of powder in the composition for the manufacture of a combustible mixture. It is taken in the same proportion, but gunpowder will give the fire a bright white color. The only thing that is bad for a sparkler from gunpowder is the presence of sulfur powder in its composition. If, nevertheless, you used this loose mixture, then do not light a fire in the room. Sulfur will produce smoke.
You can also use cast iron filings instead of aluminum. They sparkle even more, and the sparkler turns out to be more beautiful.
Afterword
From the article, you already understood how to make a Bengal fire with your own hands. It's easy and can be done if desired. You can diversify sticks of sparklers, make not only hearts for lovers for a holiday or wedding, but also all sorts of figurines of your child’s favorite characters for a birthday or numbers for a cake showing how old the birthday person is.
He will be extremely 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.
Sparkler is a manual pyrotechnic
a product consisting of a mixture of substances smeared on a wire, which
when burned, it gives a bright and sparkling white or colored fire.
Bengal
fire was invented by the ancient pyrotechnics of Bengal, part of India,
located along the Bay of Bengal. That's where the name came from
"sparkler". Bengal lights, or Bengal candles, from India
spread throughout the world.
Purchased (factory)
Bengal candles consist of steel wire, which is applied
combustible mixture, and usually give a white fire with branching sparks.
Main
the difference between sparklers and the main part of pyrotechnics is
the ability to use them indoors, at festive
tables. Such products do not emit hazardous to human health
combustion products.
The compositions of sparklers have long been
invented and tested, the reagents are relatively affordable.
I will give you the compositions of sparklers by the author Platov:
Composition No. 1
Barium nitrate…………………………50%
Dextrin………………………………12-14%
Aluminum powder……………….6-8%
Blued steel sawdust……30%
Composition No. 2
Barium nitrate…………………………50%
Dextrin………………………………12-14%
PAM №4………………………………6-8%
Blued iron sawdust……30%
Composition No. 3
Barium nitrate…………………………50%
Dextrin………………………………12-14%
Magnesium powder No. 4………….6-8%
Blued steel sawdust…….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 and substances harmful to the body.
At
I unfortunately do not have access to Barium Nitrate (which in most
cases can only be purchased at chemmags), so I will describe to you another
composition and method of making sparklers that can be safely
use on the street, as well as 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 pyroware - 50:15:35.
This is the main combustible composition, which will give a bright white fire.
Gunpowder contains sulfur, which will give off smoke when burned, so
Bengal fire on this composition can only be used on fresh
air.
Dextrin
homemade was used, it binds our composition, provides
good fastening it with wire, reduces the burning rate of al.
gunpowder.
Crushed iron filings were also used,
which form flying sparks. They must be average.
grit, not powder!
Instead of cast iron filings, you can also use iron, titanium, steel, possibly aluminum.
From
dishes, we need a small container for mixing the composition and
a tall narrow vessel, a glass flask is best, but you can
use an empty 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 ignite 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 finished
sparklers will fly out of your hands like rockets. I described this
a very important point, because beginners often neglect technique
security! And you need to know every nuance.
And so, everything is simple:
1. Aluminum powder is already ready for you, pour 5g into a container, there
pour 2g of dry dextrin, mix well, then 5-6g
metal filings. Cast iron give the most beautiful, branching yellow
sparks. Aluminum and titanium give white sparks.
2.
First you need to prepare steel (!) Pieces of wire with a length
12-15cm, 1mm thick, and make curved hooks on all of them from one end.
The wire must be steel, not copper or aluminum,
because the high combustion temperature of al. gunpowder can literally
melt and burn.
3. Now pour the composition into a 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 from hands.)
4.
At the next stage, we need to wet and coat the wire in liquid
composition (if there is little composition and it is all at the bottom, then just turn over
the flask horizontally so that the composition sticks to the desired piece of wire -
about 8-10cm.)
Shake off excess mass (droplets) into a flask so that they do not drip onto the floor later.
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 hooks, dry on a rope, for about 15 minutes.
Cover the flask with a lid for this time so that the water does not evaporate and the composition does not dry out.
This is how it looks after the 3rd layer:
Again hang to dry for 20-30 minutes, at this time you can go about your business.
These are ready-made and dried sparklers after 5 layers of composition:
Not as smooth and beautiful as from the packaging, but we don’t need it, we’re not at the factory.
That's all, such sparklers are easily ignited and burn beautifully:
Attention!
So that there are no questions. I made this composition for the first time and put everything
3 grams of iron filings, so there are so few sparks. Not enough for a second batch.
dextrin. Therefore, do everything as indicated in the proportion, put 6g
sawdust (by volume it will be a very small pile) and you will have
enough sparks, like in real lights.
