From PyroGuide
Better Pearl is a glitter composition that produces bright silver flashes. It has a short delay, a medium burn rate, and a short tail. Meal priming is highly recommended to ignite the stars properly.
Composition
|
Method
This composition is best suited for pumped and rolled stars. Glitters are moisture sensitive and cut stars usually require a moisture content larger than the one recommended for glitters.
Mixing takes place as follows: If necessary, the chemicals (except the aluminum) are prepared individually with a roller, coffee grinder etc. They are then blended by hand adding the aluminum and passed through a mixing screen several times. You can also integrated the ingredients via ball milling; in this case the aluminum must not be added before milling and has to be integrated by hand when milling is complete.
In the case of pumped stars the mix is dampened using a maximum of 10% by weight of 90% water/10% alcohol (with 2% boric acid dissolved in it) and formed into stars.
Additional information is found on a separate page on Glitter Theory.
Summary
It burns with a brilliant effect of short delayed silver flashes. It is quite drossy, not really suitable for gerbs or rockets, it will slag their nozzles very rapidly. Test the stars using a star gun; many glitters will not perform adaquatedly when burned on the ground.
Sources: Oglesby, Lloyd Scott: Glitter, Chemistry and Techniques, p.30
|