dtfgator
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Potassium Nitrate For Rockets
Hi!
I'm looking for a good source of potassium nitrate for rocket candy (Model rocket fuel).
This stuff is incredibly hard to get with all the terrorist threats (AKA the govt acting like every amateur scientist is a terrorist).
Please note I am looking to buy a very small amount.. Maybe a cup or two at most.
-Dtfgator
P.S: Does anyone know of any other additives that make it better for rockets (Other than red iron oxide and sugar)
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kclo4
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This really isn't the forum, but check out the readily available chemical website, which is a sticky on one of the forums involving acquisition.
Stump remover is probably a good bet, you can get it at most farmer markets and garden stores. It is also sold as a fertilizer, and online. Ammonium
nitrate comes in ice packs and potassium nitrate can be produced from that via factional crystallization using potassium chloride, or one could even
use a carbonate or hydroxide of potassium to get ammonia and other gas leaving behind only potassium nitrate.
Either way, look around a bunch more, I've given you some hints. So google google google!
and I am not aware of anything that helps the rocket candy burn better, but I know in some propellants sulfur is added along side with the sugar and
potassium nitrate.
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User
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Where I live sodium nitrate is still easy to get hold off.
This can fractionally crystallized into KNO3.
Looking at some solute ability tables will tell enough.
Speaking of good additives you should use sorbitol instead of normal sugar ( according to some sources this outperforms sucrose).
-Sorbitol/KNO3 melts way easier without caramelizing.
-IMO more stable burn.
-Downside would be hygroscopic nature of sorbitol.
Check this out: Link
Also 1.6% of iron oxides would be optimal , sorry I can't really back this up. someone who I respect tested this thoroughly.
[Edited on 8-9-2009 by User]
What a fine day for chemistry this is.
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bilcksneatff
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If you can get ammonium nitrate (as fertilizer or even in those instant cold packs), you can just dissolve that and KCl in water and precipitate the
KNO3 by cooling the mixture (without freezing it). You should be able to substitute NaNO3 or Ca(NO3)2, just get the calculations right.
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1281371269
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If you can't get it, there are other options such as a Zinc / Sulphur mix. This is more dangerous however, and needs accurate proportions (I don't
know them, google for details). It was used as a solid fuel by the Russians in the 50s.
Edit: It's on ebay.co.uk and .com
[Edited on 8-9-2009 by Mossydie]
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Contrabasso
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DTF I know lots of places that will sell you KNO3 almost no questions asked bar how you will pay! Trouble is that you live no-where so they may not
even be in the right country.
Potassium Nitrate is also usually found easily on ebay.
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bilcksneatff
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It is pretty easy to get. A friend of mine bought five pounds of 99.8% pure KNO3 on ebay, but I can't remember how much he paid for it. I'm pretty
sure it was cheap though.
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