Synthesis of smoke signal with potassium nitrate (KNO3) as the oxidizer

• Published in: AIP Conference Proceedings
• Main Author: Subuki I.; Salleh Z.; Molinka M.; Hamid A.H.A.; Rahman N.F.A.
• Format: Conference paper
• Language: English
• Published: American Institute of Physics 2024
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85188289197&doi=10.1063%2f5.0196092&partnerID=40&md5=d46da6f7ce79eefca4dfe3cad9517432

Pyrotechnic smoke is very commonly used in the military as a weapon and in photography as a background effect. The smoke signal can be sabotage, deceive, and paralyze the enemy forces as well as act as signal beacon. The coloured smoke signal mixture consists of oxidizer, fuel, coolant, and dye. Commonly, potassium chlorate is used as an oxidizer for smoke signals. However, the toxicity issue of the usage of potassium chlorate as an oxidizer rises. Thus, an alternative oxidizer needs to be studied to give options for the oxidizer in the smoke signal mixture. In this study, potassium nitrate was used as an oxidizer, sucrose as fuel, magnesium carbonate as a coolant, and dye as the colouring agent. The objective of this study is to design a smoke signal mixture using potassium nitrate as the oxidizer and develop a component ratio between the oxidizer, fuel, and coolant. The testing was conducted in three trials, in which the oxidizer, fuel, and coolant were manipulated in each trial. The smoke output, ignition time, and burn time of the smoke signal were observed to determine the best smoke signal mixture ratio. The best ratio of the smoke signal composition gives the best colour output, the best ignition time, and the longest burn time. The results reveal that the best-looking coloured smoke signal was observed with a ratio of 50 wt% KNO3, 20 wt% MgCO3, and 30 wt% sugar with a 5 s ignition time and 120 s burn time with consistent colour opacity and thickness of the smoke. The smoke signal composition for the best-looking colour smoke was successfully developed. © 2024 Author(s).