A very nice one, which I did at a kids party (12 year old kids) was a mix of 5 grams of Sr-nitrate, 2 grams of magnesium/aluminium alloy (a.k.a.
magnalium), 1 gram of sulphur, 2 grams of finely powdered PVC. This mix burns with a lovely bright red flame. The PVC is essential, without it, you
get a dull yellow/orange color. The chlorine from the PVC gives the red color. Any other material, containing a lot of chlorine, also can be used
(e.g. chlorinated rubber). Even some SrCl2, mixed into the material, can be used.
Use fine powders. PVC powder can be made with a little saw or a file from PVC tubing. Getting 2 grams of powder does not take that much time. I think
that the Mg/Al can be replaced by Mg or Al, but I used what I had available at that time. The mix must be put on a concrete tile, in a line of 20 cm
or so, not on a single heap. Light the line of mix with a propane burner at one end. Fun is guaranteed!
Barium nitrate also is very nice, it gives a deep green flame, but the smoke of this is fairly toxic. With non-chemist people in a group, it is hard
to avoid some inhalation of the smoke, so I decided not to do the barium variation. |