Clive Jennings-White
ABSTRACT: Pyrotechnic glitter is characterized by a liquid spark terminating in a delayed flash. The chemical mechanisms responsible for the delay and the flash are not known with certitude. Several pyrotechnists have proposed hypothetical mechanisms to account for the phenomena. The different proposals engender different predictions regarding how a glitter performs as a function of its composition. Consequently the behavior of experimental glitter compositions sheds light on the validity of the various proposals. Although experiments on colored glitter are hitherto disappointing, with the exception of yellow, further work may yet yield useful results. The most significant safety concern that glitter compositions present is a potential exotherm upon dampening. This can largely be avoided by careful selection of the combination of metal and glitter additives.
Keywords: glitter, formulation, potassium, nitrate, barium, theory
© Journal of Pyrotechnics and CarnDu Ltd
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