Random possibly useful fact

[TheoK]

Chlorine serves two purposes in fireworks: to form the monochlorides of copper, barium and strontium, that are the compositions that emit blue, green and red light, and to inhibit the formation of magnesium oxide. Magnesium boils at around 1100^oC and increases the size of the flame enormously, but the boiling magnesium should form as little magnesium oxide as possible except in white and yellow compositions, where the light consists of atomic sodium and oxides of barium etc. When magnesium reacts with chlorine, magnesium chloride is formed. Magnesium chloride doesn't emit any light and thus doesn't disturb the colour of the flame once the boiling atomic magnesium has helped in enlarging it.

[TheoK]

Copper and barium need a real abundance of chlorine, even when no metallic fuels are involved. Really good compositions have >25% chlorine in them all in all. For green you only need barium chlorate and a resin fuel, shellac or red gum. Barium chlorate forms barium chloride when decomposed, with twice as many chlorine ions as needed, since it's the monochloride that emits the green light. Copper needs either ammonium perchlorate or potassium chlorate and perchlorate with "secondary" chlorine donors, usually PVC and parlon. Copper chlorate or perchlorate can be used, but they are dangerous, since they are primary explosives and not "pure" chlorate/perchlorate but complexes with ammonia involved. Strontium needs the least chlorine. Without any chlorine, strontium salts burn to form strontium hydroxide, which emits orange light. It's enough to add so much chlorine that 25-30% of the strontium forms strontium chloride. Also here the chlorate and perchlorate are almost impossible to use but in this case due to hygroscopicity. The military uses strontium chlorate and perchlorate in some signal rockets, though.

[TheoK]

In most fireworks pure magnesium isn't used, since it will react with the water that is used to activate the binder. Hobbyists often use magnesium, though, and then parlon is a preferred binder, since it forms a layer on the magnesium flakes. It's dissolved in acetone and similar solvents.

[TheoK]

Most chemicals are sensitized by potassium chlorate. One of the few exceptions is barium chlorate, that is more instable itself and thus becomes more stable when mixed with potassium chlorate.

[midlifeaspie]

Because vicarious liability is inapplicable to Bivens, and SS 1983 suits, a plaintiff must plead that each Government-official defendant, through the official's own actions, has violated the Constitution.

[TheoK]

It's legal to drive on any side of a Swedish road or street, if there are no lines on it. You must however drive on the right side when meeting another vehicle.

[Trigger 11]

If you Google my last name and the word Martian, you will find my paper, thesis (book), and all of the papers that have referenced one or both. Those on facebook can verify from my wall posts.


 

[Queen Victoria]

From a frugal website I get email from:

Keeping Lettuce Fresh
 
Years ago, when I was complaining about lettuce going bad
before I could use it, a friend told me to store it in a brown
bag in the refrigerator. It worked! My lettuce lasted for
weeks. Now, if the bag becomes damp, I simply dry it out in
the microwave and go on using it. A head of lettuce has
literally lasted me two months! I have used this method with
both iceberg and romaine lettuce.
Judy N.
 
Can't vouch for it, but feel free to try it.

[TheoK]

When you make firework stars, it's ironically usually the case that the stars will dry better if using a water soluble binder than an alcohol or acetone soluble one, because these stars have "pores", where the water evaporates. Usually you use some alcohol in the water, but just much enough to break the surface tension of the water and making it evaporate a bit faster.

[Callaway]

From a frugal website I get email from:

Keeping Lettuce Fresh
 
Years ago, when I was complaining about lettuce going bad
before I could use it, a friend told me to store it in a brown
bag in the refrigerator. It worked! My lettuce lasted for
weeks. Now, if the bag becomes damp, I simply dry it out in
the microwave and go on using it. A head of lettuce has
literally lasted me two months! I have used this method with
both iceberg and romaine lettuce.
Judy N.
 
Can't vouch for it, but feel free to try it.

Tupperware lettuce keepers work great to keep heads of lettuce fresh for a long time.  Fresh leaf lettuce and spinach keep fresh much longer in clamshell packaging as opposed to bags.

[odeon]

Schematrons are test-based XML schemas and very useful when you need to validate something beyond an ordinary DTD's capabilities.

[midlifeaspie]

Defenses available under rule 12(b)(2-5) are waived by filing either a motion or a responsive pleading.  12(b)(6) and 12(b)(7) defenses are available up until the conclusion of trial and 12(b)(1) subject-matter jurisdiction defenses can be raised even after trial on appeal.  Technically that defense can never be waived else the whole system comes crashing down.

[TheoK]

Wikipedia states that potassium chlorate is more hygroscopic than potassium nitrate - this is totally wrong. Potassium chlorate is a much more powerful and sensitive oxidizer, but it is not hygroscopic. It's almost insoluble in water 

[midlifeaspie]

Wikipedia states that potassium chlorate is more hygroscopic than potassium nitrate - this is totally wrong. Potassium chlorate is a much more powerful and sensitive oxidizer, but it is not hygroscopic. It's almost insoluble in water 

You should correct it

[TheoK]

 

On the other hand, the amateurs shouldn't know such things anyway