Investigations on blue colored flame from burning of composition containing organocopper compound.

It is very difficult to produce an intense blue colored flame using traditional fuels and blue colorants in fireworks. A new formulation of firework composition for producing an intense blue colored flame was designed in the research. In the composition, an organocopper compound was used not only as a fuel, but also as a blue colorant. Four organocopper compounds, such as copper(II) acetylacetonate, copper(II) gluconate, copper(II) benzoate, and copper(II) citrate, were chosen and tested as the candidates for fuel or blue colorant. Visible spectra of flames formed by burning the composition containing organocopper compound were measured and the hue of the flame was evaluated using the spectra. The experimental results show that the new composition consisted of the organocopper compound used as a fuel and ammonium perchlorate used as an oxidizer can produce intense blue colored flame. Especially an intense blue colored flame with approximately 60 % chromatic purity can be produced by using copper(II) acetylacetonate. The color purity is higher than that of traditional composition. The relationship between the flame behaviors and the emission spectra of the flame from burning of the new composition are examined in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]