Chemicals from Skylighter.com

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Aluminum, atomized, spherical

Used in glitter compositions.

Aluminum, atomized, spherical

Used in glitter and high-powered rocket fuels. Limit of 1 pound per order, 2 pounds per year.

Aluminum, atomized, spheroidal

Commonly used in glitter and go-getter formulations.

Particle size breakdown:

- mostly 2-40 microns
- less then 5% +100 mesh
- less than 5% -5 micron

Aluminum, flake, bright

Used in flitter, and white and silver color compositions. Sometimes used as a substitute for American Dark aluminum; can be used in "slow flash" burst charges.

Particle size breakdown:
-325 mesh -- 100%; Particle size range 45 micron

Coated with stearin.

Aluminum, flake, dark, German Blackhead

3 micron, coated (stearin). Eckart #5413-H Super

The undisputed king of the flash aluminums. Limit of one pound of dark aluminum per order, two pounds per year unless you send us a copy of your current BATF High Explosives Manufacturing license (type 20).

Aluminum, flake, dark, Indian Blackhead

A much darker aluminum than German Blackhead. Reputedly made with the same process and equipment used to make Blackhead in Germany in the 1950's. Performance compares very favorably. Limit of one pound of dark aluminum per order, two pounds per year unless you send us a copy of your current BATF High Explosives Manufacturing license (type 20).

Aluminum, flake, firefly, mixed

"Mixed Firefly" can be used to produce a long hang-time "firefly" or transformation effect when used in the formulation supplied with the product. The wide range of particle sizes should produce a richer effect than standard Firefly Aluminum.

Aluminum, flake, flitters, coarse

Used in glitter compositions.

Ammonium Chloride

Used in making white smokes.

Ammonium Dichromate

Oxidizer used in volcanoes, sometimes used as a burn rate catalyst in propellant formulas (such as those based on ammonium nitrate). Also used to suppress the reaction of magnesium in ammonium perchlorate compositions.

Ammonium Perchlorate

Oxidizer used in strobe compositions; produces rich colors in some star and fountain formulations, but slow burning; most commonly used composite rocket fuel oxidizer. Rotary rounded.

Asphaltum

Source for carbon fuel.

Barium Carbonate

Used as an acid neutralizer in compositions containing potassium chlorate or barium chlorate; as a green color agent; or a delay agent in glitter comps. 98.0% minimum purity.

Barium Carbonate - 1/2 lb.

Used as an acid neutralizer in compositions containing potassium chlorate or barium chlorate; as a green color agent; or a delay agent in glitter comps. 98% purity.

Barium Chlorate

Oxidizer. Produces the very finest, rich, green flame color.

Barium Chloride

Used as a green coloring agent, also makes a relatively safe coloring agent for campfires, pine cones, and fireplace logs.

Barium Chloride - 1/2 lb.

Used as a green coloring agent, also makes a relatively safe coloring agent for campfires, pine cones, and fireplace logs.

Barium Nitrate, granular

Most commonly used oxidizer in producing green colors; as an oxidizer in flash powders. Can be easily milled to fine powder before most uses using a coffee mill.

Barium Sulfate

Used as a green color agent, a high temperature oxidizer in strobe mixtures, sometimes as a delay agent in glitter formulations.

Bentonite Clay

Used (dry) for plugs and nozzles in black powder rockets, fountains and other devices.

Bismuth Subcarbonate - 1/2 lb.

Used as a safe alternative to lead tetraoxide in crackling microstars (dragon eggs).

Bismuth Trioxide

Used as a safe alternative to lead tetraoxide in crackling microstars (dragon eggs). 99.97% purity. 99.995% -325 mesh; 0005% +325 mesh.

Boric Acid

Used to suppress the reaction of aluminum to water in compositions.

Mix boric acid with methyl alcohol to get a green colored flame (from the boron).

Check out this project on making colored liquid fire and "Ghost Mines."

Boron, amorphous - 1 oz.

-325 mesh powder primarily used as a high temperature ignition composition in electric matches, primes, first fires and delay elements, in place of thermite, in rockets, in green pyrotechnic flares. Shimizu reports a 75:25 mix of boron and potassium nitrate burns brilliant green with a very high temperature.

Cab-O-Sil ™ M5 - 4 oz.

This variety of Cab-O-Sil is mainly used as an anti-caking agent and to make chemicals flow more freely. Sometimes used in flash powders. -325 mesh. Four ounces in weight, approximately one-half gallon volume. Shipping wt. 1 lb.

Calcium Carbonate, Pharmaceutical grade

Used as a color agent in reddish orange stars, sometimes as a filler in pyro-adhesive.

Calcium Sulfate

Used as a high temperature oxidizer and reddish-orange color agent in strobe compositions.

Charcoal, 20 mesh

Makes dim gold sparks in various compositions. Made from mixed hardwoods.

Charcoal, 36 mesh

Makes dim gold sparks in various compositions. Made from mixed hardwoods.

Charcoal, 80 mesh

Makes dim gold sparks in various compositions. Made from mixed hardwoods.

Charcoal, airfloat

Used in black powder and other compositions. Made from mixed hardwoods.

Chlorowax

Used as a chlorine donor (70% chlorine). -50 mesh, 97%. Solvents are xylene, acetone and alcohol.

Clay

Used (usually dry) for plugs and nozzles in black powder rockets, fountains and other devices.

CMC

Used as a thickening agent and binder. Solvent is water. High viscosity, high purity sodium, carboxymethylcellose.

Copper (II) Carbonate

Used as a blue coloring agent.

Copper (II) Oxide, black

Used as a blue color agent.

Copper (II) Oxychloride

Used as a blue color agent.

Copper (II) Oxychloride - 1/2 lb.

Used as a blue color agent.

Cryolite

Used as a yellow color agent.

Dextrin

Most commonly used binder; sometimes as a glue. Solvent is water.

Ethyl Cellulose

Used as an adhesive and a binder in the manufacture of some military and civilian explosives. Very limited supply.

FerroTitanium, 30-60 mesh

A 60:40 alloy of iron to titanium. Creates yellow-white sparks, best for fountains or comets.

FerroTitanium, 40-325 mesh

Rich, thick spray of fine yellow-white sparks, perfect for stars.

Gilsonite

Source for carbon fuel.

Graphite

Used to opacify rocket fuel grains. The opacifier accelerates the rate of surface burning and prevents infrared energy from penetrating the propellant grain and causing it to explode. -325 mesh, average particle size 5 microns.

Grog

Firebrick material used in making high temperature nozzles and plugs.

Guar Gum

Used as a water-soluble binder.

Gum Arabic

A natural vegetable gum used as a water-soluble binder.

Hexachloroethane

Used as a chlorine donor, in smokes, possibly as an oxidizer.

Hexamine

Used as an accessory fuel often in blue star compositions. Soluble in water.

Iron Oxide, black

Can act as a high temperature oxidizer in thermite compositions.

Iron Oxide, red

Used in some glitter formulations; as a catalyst in rocket compositions; sometimes in first fires and high temperature ignition compositions.

Kyanite

Mixed with bentonite, used to strengthen rocket, fountain, and driver nozzles.

Lactose

-200 mesh powder. Used in smoke formulations; as a low reactivity (accessory) fuel, often in blue star formulations.

Lampblack

Used in fireworks to produce very long lasting, finely dispersed dim gold sparks; in rockets, used to opacify rocket fuel grains. The opacifier accelerates the rate of surface burning and prevents infrared energy from penetrating the propellant grain and causing motor pre-ignition.

Lead Tetraoxide

Commonly used to make crackling stars ("Dragon Eggs"); occasionally in hot burning primes.

Lead Tetraoxide - 1/2 lb.

Commonly used to make crackling stars (“Dragon Eggs”); occasionally in hot burning primes.

Lithium Chloride

Used as a red color agent; also used as a relatively safe coloring agent for campfires, pine cones, and fireplace logs; also as a liquid flame colorant when dissolved in methyl alcohol. Must be milled to fine powder or dissolved before use.

Check out this project on making colored liquid fire and "Ghost Mines."

Lycopodium powder

When propelled through an open flame, it will produce a jet of orange fire. Used in stage, magic, and theatrical effects.

Magnesium, atomized, spherical

Limited supply.

Magnesium, atomized, spherical + turnings

NOTE: Each container consists of .49 lb. of magnesium powder containing .51 lb. of magnesium turnings. You can remove the turnings with any 20 mesh or finer screen, even a window screen.

Magnesium, granular

Magnesium, granular + turnings

NOTE: Each container consists of .49 lb. of magnesium powder containing .51 lb. of magnesium turnings. You can remove the turnings with any 20 mesh or finer screen, even a window screen.

Magnesium, granular

Magnesium, granular + turnings

NOTE: Each container consists of .49 lb. of magnesium powder containing .51 lb. of magnesium turnings. You can remove the turnings with any 20 mesh or finer screen, even a window screen.

Magnesium, granular 80-200 mesh

Magnesium, granular + turnings

NOTE: Each container consists of .49 lb. of magnesium powder containing .51 lb. of magnesium turnings. You can remove the turnings with any 20 mesh or finer screen, even a window screen.

Magnesium-Aluminum, granular

Magnesium-Aluminum, granular + turnings

NOTE: Each container consists of .49 lb. of magnesium-aluminum powder containing .51 lb. of magnesium-aluminum turnings. You can remove the turnings with any 20 mesh or finer screen, even a window screen.

Magnesium-Aluminum, granular

Magnesium-Aluminum, granular + turnings

Magnesium-Aluminum, granular

Magnesium-Aluminum, granular + turnings

Magnesium-Aluminum, granular

Magnesium-Aluminum, granular + turnings

Magnesium-Aluminum, granular

Magnesium-Aluminum, granular + turnings

Magnesium Carbonate

Used as a glitter delay agent; sometimes as a free-flow agent for some potassium chlorate and perchlorate mixes.

Magnesium Oxide

Methylene Chloride - 1/2 pint

Solvent for PVC; used in solvent bonding plastic shell halves together. Comes in a 1/2 pint, screw-top metal can.

Nitrocellulose lacquer, 10% solution - 1 pint

A fast-drying, flammable binder and waterproof coating. This is a 10% solution of nitrocellulose dissolved in acetone and other solvents. Use as-is, or thin to taste with acetone. 1 pint, screw-top metal can. Shipping weight 1.5 lbs.

Nitrocellulose lacquer, 10% solution - 1 quart

Orpiment - 4 ounces

Very old ingredient used in making bright white flames. Do not mix dry orpiment with potassium chlorate. Very limited quantity available, and may not be something we can keep in stock.

Oxalic Acid

Used in making metal oxalates. Also great as a rust remover, concrete cleaner, and rust stain remover.

Parlon™

Used as a chlorine (68%) donor (and fuel to enhance colored flames and as a binder (in go-getters, for instance). Solvents are acetone and xylene.

Polyethylene

Possible fuel or binder.

Polyvinyl Chloride

Used as a chlorine (57%) donor (colored flame enhancer) and fuel and as a binder in some rocket propellants. Solvent is methylene chloride.

Potassium Benzoate, air milled

Used in whistle mixes in rockets and burst compositions. 99.0% purity.

Potassium Chlorate

Used as an oxidizer in colored flame compositions and flash powders, and most commonly as the oxidizer in colored smokes. Contains 0.2% PCP anti-cake.

Potassium Chlorate, granular

Can be easily screened or milled into fine white powder. Used as an oxidizer in colored flame compositions and flash powders, and most commonly as the oxidizer in colored smokes.

Potassium Dichromate, orange crystals

Used as a surface treatment to suppress the corrosion and reactivity of magnesium; infrequently as an oxidizer; and as a catalyst to aid in the decomposition of potassium perchlorate, often in primes. It does this by lowering the activation energy of the chemical reaction that takes place when the composition burns. That makes the star, comet, etc. ignite at a lower temperature. Potassium dichromate enables the oxidizer to part with its oxygen with a lower input of energy than would otherwise be needed. In other words, it allows the oxidizer to decompose at a lower temperature.

Potassium Nitrate (Salt Peter)

Technical grade with 0.05% TAG anti-cake. Oxidizer used in black powder, primes, and glitter and spark-producing formulations.

Assay: 99.5% purity minimum.
Impurities:
Cl: 0.06% max.
Na: 0.2% max.
Moisture: 0.1% max.
Water Insolubles 0.01% max.

Potassium Nitrate, food grade

Oxidizer used in black powder, rocket fuel, primes, and glitter and spark-producing formulations. This is extremely pure, food grade, potassium nitrate. The consistency is like very fine, granulated sugar. Use as is, or screen through an 80 mesh screen.

Potassium Perchlorate

Particle size is 99% -100 mesh. 99% purity. Most commonly used oxidizer in colored flame compositions and flash powder in the US.

Potassium Sulfate

Used as a high temperature oxidizer in some white strobe compositions.

Realgar - 4 ounces

Realgar has been used in dark prime (as a color change relay) and occasionally to make "red explosive," a contact or impact explosive used, for instance, in torpedoes. Rarely used in the US, occasionally continues to be used by some oriental manufacturers. For historical information on additional uses, see Dr. Robert Winokur's article on orpiment and realgar formulations. Very limited quantity available, and may not be something we can keep in stock.

Red Gum, air milled

Used as a fuel and binder. Natural vegetable gum whose solvent is alcohol.

Red Gum, chunky style

Used as a fuel and binder. Can easily be screened or coffee-milled into a fine powder. Natural vegetable gum whose solvent is alcohol.

Rice Hulls - 4 lbs.

When coated with burst-powder, rice hulls are used to break shells. We pack them (the hulls, without the burst powder) in 4 pound bags (about 5 gallons volume).

Rice Starch, Soluble Glutinous

Superior binder commonly used in Japan; sometimes as a glue. Frequently called for in formulas in Shimizu's book, Fireworks: The Art, Science, and Technique." Solvent is water.

Saltpeter (Potassium Nitrate)

Technical grade, with 0.05% TAG anti-cake. Oxidizer used in black powder, primes, and glitter and spark-producing formulations.

Smoke Mix, Blue

Smoke "mix" contains organic powdered dye and all chemical components necessary to make colored smoke except the oxidizer, potassium chlorate. Just add 27% potassium chlorate (potassium perchlorate will not work) and light. If you do not have potassium chlorate, it does NOT come with this product--you will have to order it separately. This mix contains disperse blue 3 smoke dye, lactose, magnesium carbonate, and sodium carbonate.

Click here to learn to make your own smoke bombs

Just a quick note to let y'all know my order arrived yesterday. This blue smoke is absolutely fabulous. I'm a sucker for blue and would have been happy with any ole shade of blue, even a pastel--but this stuff kicks out the most remarkably lush deep blue-purple smoke. My mouth drops open with every sample I light off. Said it before: y'all rock. Mike McCool, Eugene, OR

Smoke Mix, Green

Smoke "mix" contains organic powdered dye and all chemical components except potassium chlorate. Just add 27% potassium chlorate (potassium perchlorate will not work) and light. If you do not have potassium chlorate, it does NOT come with this product--you will have to order it separately. This mix contains green smoke dye (a mix of solvent yellow 33 and solvent green 3), lactose, magnesium carbonate, and sodium carbonate.

Click here to learn to make your own smoke bombs

Smoke Mix, Orange

Smoke "mix" contains all chemical components necessary to make colored smoke except the oxidizer, potassium chlorate. Just add 27% potassium chlorate (potassium perchlorate will not work) and light. If you do not have potassium chlorate, it does NOT come with this product--you will have to order it separately. This mix contains solvent orange 7 smoke dye, lactose, magnesium carbonate, and sodium carbonate.

Click here to learn to make your own smoke bombs

Smoke Mix, Pink

Smoke "mix" contains all chemical components except potassium chlorate. Just add 27% potassium chlorate (potassium perchlorate will not work) and light. If you do not have potassium chlorate, it does NOT come with this product--you will have to order it separately. This mix contains pink smoke dye (red solvent 1), lactose, magnesium carbonate, and sodium carbonate.

Click here to learn to make your own smoke bombs

Smoke Mix, Purple

Smoke Mix, Yellow

Smoke "mix" contains organic powdered dye and all chemical components necessary to make colored smoke except the oxidizer, potassium chlorate. Just add 20-25% of potassium chlorate (potassium perchlorate will not work) and light. If you do not have potassium chlorate, it does NOT come with this product--you will have to order it separately.

Click here to learn to make your own smoke bombs

Sodium Benzoate, air milled

Used as a fuel in making whistle composition in rockets and in shell burst charges.

Sodium Bicarbonate

Used as a glitter effect enhancer (delay agent), sometimes as a yellow color agent.

Sodium Nitrate, crystals

Used as a yellow color agent and as an oxidizer. Must be screened or milled before use.

Sodium Oxalate

325 mesh, used as a yellow color agent and as an glitter effect enhancer (delay agent).

Sodium Salicylate, air-milled

Used as a fuel in whistle composition. Air-milled, USP grade powder. 99.68% pure (.002% heavy metals; 0.5% water; 0.15ml sulfite or thiosulfate). 99.0% purity.

Sodium Silicate, 1 quart

40% concentration, +3.0 weight ratio. Used in pyro adhesives, particularly in rolling cup sets in sawdust and for making paper tubes fire resistant. Thin with water. Weight ratio is 3.22. Comes in 1 quart, screw-top metal can.

Sodium Sulfate

Used as a high temperature oxidizer in some yellow strobe compositions.

Soluble Glutinous Rice Starch

A superior binder commonly used in Japan; sometimes as a glue. Frequently called for in formulas in Shimizu's book, Fireworks: The Art, Science, and Technique." Solvent is water.

Sorbitol

Used as a fuel in some rocket compositions.

Stearic Acid

Used as a phlegmatizing agent, a low reactivity (accessory) fuel, sometimes in blue star compositions.

Steel Powder, Medium

Good for sparklers, stars, comets, rocket tails, and small fountains. The carbon combined with the iron makes beautiful, branching, yellow-orange sparks.

Steel Powder, Very Fine

Good for stars, comets, rocket tails, and small fountains. The carbon combined with the iron makes slightly branching, orange sparks.

Steel Powder, Medium Coarse

Good for sparklers, stars, comets, rocket tails, and small fountains. The carbon combined with the iron makes slightly branching, orange sparks.

Steel Powder, Sparkler Grade

This is uncoated steel powder made especially for sparklers. Perfect for stars, comets, and small fountains, too. The carbon combined with the iron makes beautiful, branching, yellow-orange sparks. Should be coated with linseed oil if you are going to store your devices for longer than a month. Linseed oil prevents the steel from corroding in pyrotechnic mixtures.

Strontium Carbonate

Strontium Carbonate is the most commonly used non-oxidizer red flame coloring agent.

Strontium Nitrate

Used as a red coloring agent oxidizer often with metal fuels in stars, flares, and bengals.

Strontium Sulfate

White powder used as a high temperature oxidizer in some red strobe compositions.

Sulfur

Sulfur Flour (not the same as "flowers"). Used as a fuel, usually in compositions with nitrate oxidizers; as a component of black powder (serving as both a binder and fuel); in rocket propellants as the oxidizer for zinc. Ours is 99.9% pure and has a very low acid content. If you have questions about different types of Sulfur Click Here.

Titanium, spherical

94% titanium, 6% aluminum.

Approximate Particle Size Breakdown:
-40+100 mesh = 65%
-100-300 mesh = 35%

This is an industrial byproduct. May contain very small amount of flakes, needles, and slight amount of foreign matter; but will not affect its performance.

Produces bright white sparks. Works well in fountains, rockets, stars, comets, saxons and drivers. Mix this with larger particle sizes if you want long comet tails.

Vinsol resin

A pine-derived synthetic resin used as a binder; as a one-to-one replacement for red gum. Solvents are alcohol, ketones, and hydrocarbons.

Wood Meal

Used as a filler and thickener for glue, occasionally as a fuel in lance and flash compositions.

Zinc Oxide

-325 mesh (99.9%) Used in smoke compositions and as a pyro-adhesive.

Zinc Powder

+200-325 mesh. A fuel used in fireworks to make zinc spreader or granite stars, smoke, and in rockets to make a low specific impulse propellant.