Coloured flames

ive checked out the articles but was wondering if anyone knew of any other chemicals you can use to change the flame colours? i figured magnesium chloride would give a nice white flame. i also thought maybe twining magnesium strips with Wire wool to give a mix of white and orange? anyone care to take up the point?

I think magnesium has been discussed before (Try another search ) - and the general consenus was it would burn too hot for safety, and not long enough for it to be worth it...

Also please don't just use Wire wool without properlly researching it. It's very dangerous if you don't take the proper precautions. Mix it with magnesium, and you've got yourself a very deadly combination, (think incredibly hot sparks flying everywhere and landing on you and everything else that is around you). Please try using the search function near the top of the page.

Not only that, but Magnesium burns with an intense flame that will, if looked directly at; give a condition similar to arc-eye that welders can experience.

Yeah, chunks of magnesium are generally not a great idea, you're liable to get destroyed by any local fire authority who happen to be chancing by.

OK, chemicals that I remember burning with funky colours, vaguely:

- Copper salts (CuSO4, CuNO3, CuCl2 etc.) burn with a greenish flame; I think you can get them from gardening stores etc.

- Barium salts also burn with a green flame. HOWEVER, BARIUM IS POISONOUS, so use is not advised.

- Sodium Salts (table salt, etc.) often burn with a nice really, really yellow flame

- (very rare but FUN) Strontium salts burn with an amazing fluorescent maroon, really trippy looking. Not easy to get ahold of, though.

- various other ones will burn with fun colours; I've heard Cobalt burns blue nicely etc., but haven't tried it myself.


(Sorry, don't know much about availability, I just absconded with most of mine from a chemistry lab I did some work in)


And one other thing: Alot of the chemicals mentioned above are HEAVY METALS and are hence POISONOUS. Do NOT drink copper, strontium, cobalt (especially cobalt) or ANY other chemical you use, they with STUFF YOU UP. I don't want to sound like a wet blanket, but just make sure to exercise caution. And you may want to wear a breathing mask when spinning to stop inhalation of vapours.


Hope that help,

Jazz

thanks people, didnt really think about flying magnesium, if got the mask and goggles and always allow for a 6/7 meter space round me to minimise my experiments mistakes becoming a law suit.

"Do NOT drink copper, strontium, cobalt (especially cobalt) or ANY other chemical you use"
That seems obvious to me..

And Scottydog... its just a general NO to magnesium due to the flying off and setting on fire what ever it lands on which is the problem, and no matter of goggles or gloves will stop burning magnesium.

What about magnesium powder?

Would that work?

As a ceramicist, who uses metal powders a lot, I would really advise to be very careful useing any metal powders, as the dust is very, very bad for you when you breathe it in, and even touch it. We all have to wear special dust masks (not the flimsy white kind, but the heavey duty, rubber with filters kind, that look like WWII gas masks), and also wear rubber gloves.

As mentioned before magnesium burns at a very high temperature and is too dangerous to use for spinning, especially combined with Wire wool. It is too dangerous to attempt, and really not worth it, just for a white flame instead of yellow. Especially as mentioned before, you can't even look directly at the flame because it will damage your eye sight, even permantly if enough is used, so seems kind of pointless anyway.

Please do a search, on coloured flames and Wire wool, there is a lot of information on the subjects on these boards. And it is advisable to do a always do a search before posting a new topic.

Finally, it's a really bad idea combining Wire wool with any of these chemicals as they all burn at high temperatures, and Wire wool is dangerous enough on its own.

So summing that all up:

DONT USE MAGNESIUM, OR ANY OTHER POWDERED METAL.

At least thats what i think you were saying....

Don't use metal period.

Lithium Chloride = Deep dark pink
Pottasium Chloride (Lo Salt) = Lilac inner flame, yellow around the edges.

I've just been reading Wiki and found that Borax used for Boric acid is apparently flame retardant Probably changes somewhat in the process of becoming a coloured fuel but may explain why some People I know have had trouble getting green flame using it...