Pyrotechnic Formula For Green Firework Stars Without Barium Nitrate or Chlorate

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Pyrotechnic formula and notes for making green fireworks stars without using the toxic firework chemicals, barium nitrate or barium chlorate.

Materials Needed

Thanks to Norm for this one. We haven’t tried it, but if the firework stars look good, they really do solve a big green firework star problem for a lot of folks who are not able to get barium nitrate or barium chlorate shipped to them.

"With all the shipping and health problems associated with barium nitrate or barium chlorate, I have come up with a fairly good green firework star using barium carbonate. This firework star has no apparent yellow and burns reasonably fast. The composition is quite simple; all parts are by weight.

Radiant Green Firework Star
40%	Potassium perchlorate
30%	Barium carbonate
15%	Dark pyro aluminum (or any -400 mesh or smaller flake aluminum)
15%	Parlon or saran

Make sure all ingredients are talcum-powder-fine. Keep the aluminum mesh size very fine to keep color depth. Screen the firework star composition and mix very well. For cut firework stars, mix with straight acetone. Cut stars. Prime. If you want rolled firework stars, add an extra 5% dextrin to the composition and bind with water and 25% alcohol.

Substituting -200 mesh magnesium-aluminum for the aluminum gives the firework star deeper color and adds an interesting, slightly aqua appearance. Unique!"

HG’s note: Although I haven’t tried it, I expect you could eliminate the acetone (and its problems) and make cut firework stars out of these by adding +5% dextrin and bind with water.

Notes on Radiant Green Firework Star from Charley Wilson:

"Regarding substituting -200 mesh magnesium-aluminum (magnalium) for the aluminum...his is really similar to the Veline green--hard to light and blows blind a lot.

The use of magnalium is recommended. Magnesium would work also, and would give you a star closer to a go-getter result, but needs to use parlon with MEK as the solvent. Good saran does not dissolve in acetone or MEK except at high temperatures.

Regarding the magnesium-aluminum producing an aqua color... He may have some copper in there somewhere, probably in the magnalium as an alloy impurity. This is common in European versions of the alloy. I don't get an aqua color from magnalium.

Yes, it's an OK green, but not as deep as ammonium perchlorate-based greens or the old barium chlorate/shellac green. And, yes, I have made similar stars using saran stars and bound with dextrin. My version was: 42 perchlorate, 28 barium carbonate, 14 saran, 6 sulfur, 10 magnalium +5 dextrin.

Sulfur really helps the burn rate and seems to reduce cinder."

To learn about more colored fireworks star formulas, read these:

"Copper Powder Formulas For Blue and Green Firework Stars"
"Blinding Red Firework Stars"
"Barium Nitrate Emerald Firework Stars"