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My friend Mike McCabe did a lot of research into colored fire, specifically
blowing fire.  He researched the MSDS's and LD50's of many colorants, and
collated his results onto this web page:
http://tikirobot.net/wiki/doku.php?id=coloredfire

Boric Acid for green is super low toxicity.  Copper acetate is pretty good,
though has a vinegar smell.

All have good alcohol solubility (gotta love polar/non-polar solvents).

Barium will give you blues.  Not too sure about the toxicity tho.

The alcohol in the balloon is relatively safe, but be aware that it may
spray.  Alcohol flames are low temperature (which is necessary to keep the
black body radiation from unburned hydrocarbons from overwhelming the
emissions from metal plasmas).  That also makes them safer to work with...
however, be aware that you're now making chemical cocktails, and be aware of
what a hot alcohol/metal-salt spray may do.

I use boric acid in my sculpture Pyrograph:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/earlstirling/galleries/72157622820271165/with/4453248580/#photo_4453248580


----
Earl Stirling

Building SCIENCE!

e x p l  O  r a t o r i u m
3601 Lyon St
San Francisco CA 94123
+1.415.353.0401



On Thu, Jul 7, 2011 at 3:54 PM, Charles Carlson
<[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
> institutions.
>
> *****************************************************************************
>
> either one is very soluble in water.  I suggest you have another look at
> the MSDS's for both.  Cupric Chloride has some additional considerations.
>  As with most substances toxicity is a function of time and and amount.
>  Both have documented effects worth considering.
> C
> On Jul 7, 2011, at 3:40 PM, Isabel Van Dyke wrote:
>
> > ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> > Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
> institutions.
> >
> *****************************************************************************
> >
> > Hello all,
> >
> > I'm doing a magic-themed live science show and I want to make blue- or
> > green-tinted fire for "dragon's flame." I'm planning to use cupric
> chloride
> > or cupric sulfate. I have those two chemicals in solid form, but the MSDS
> > informs me that neither one is flammable as a solid. Thus I need to get
> them
> > in solution, probably in alcohol (though maybe water would work?).
> >
> > The tricky bit is that rather than sprinkling the copper on an open
> flame, I
> > want to use it with a hydrogen balloon. I've exploded lots of those, so
> in
> > and of themselves they aren't a problem, but I'm a bit wary of adding
> > alcohol to the Hindenburg.
> >
> > Can anyone out there let me know the proportion of cupric chloride and/or
> > cupric sulfate to alcohol (isopropyl? ethyl?), and any safety tips? I've
> > seen this done before, so I know it's possible!
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Isabel
> > --
> > Isabel Van Dyke
> > Science Activities Coordinator
> > ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum
> > Ashland, OR
> > [log in to unmask]
> > 541 482 6767, ext. 218
> >
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> Charles Carlson
> Senior Scientist
> exploratorium
> 3601 Lyon St.
> San Francisco, CA 94123
> [log in to unmask]
> Tel:   415-561-0319
> Fax:  415-561-0370
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> Skype: sciskypecharlie
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> http://blogs.exploratorium.edu/whyintercept/
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>
>
>
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>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ***********************************************************************
> For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the
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