colored fire
How to Make Colored Fire
Want to turn the annual campfire from a boring activity into a whole new level of awesomeness? Presenting the phenomenon of colored fire. Read, and take notes.
Sounds awesome, this idea about colored fire, right? You can do it too! There are some chemicals which when added to a fire can change its color. A fire flame is usually orange, yellow, red, or white in color, but when a chemical―generally metal salts―are added to the flame, their atomic emission spectra changes the frequencies of light radiation (visible light) and that change brings about colored flames, as we see them.
The Chemicals Used
Given below is a table that will state the chemicals and the corresponding colors that they produce.
The Making
How to get the fire to change color? There are 3 ways with which you can do this.
| Chemical Names | Color |
| Lithium Chloride | Dark Red |
| Sodium Borate | Yellowish Green |
| Copper Chloride/Butane | Blue |
| Potassium Chloride | Purple |
| Calcium Chloride | Orange |
| Sodium Chloride/Sodium Carbonate | Yellow |
| Magnesium Sulfate | White |
| Potassium Sulfate and Potassium Nitrate. 3:1 Ratio | Violet |
| Strontium Chloride | Red |
| Copper Sulfate | Green |
| Lithium Chloride | Pink |
| Iron Fillings | Gold Sparks |
| Aluminum Powder | Silver Sparks |
- Soaking the logs or any other material (that you'll be using to burn) in a mixture of alcohol and chemicals, then drying them.
- Soaking the logs in a mixture of water and chemical elements and then drying them.
- Sprinkling chemicals into the open fire for an immediate effect.
- Pour about a gallon of water into a bucket and add half a pound of chemical color to it.
- Mix it in by stirring.
- Now, add the objects of your choice―pine cones, logs, sawdust, hardwood, or coconut husks to this and stir in.
- You could use a different object for a different color.
- Any material that is 'fire friendly' can be used for this. But make sure it has the capacity to burn for a long time. Unlike things like paper which burn off rather quickly.
- Let the objects stay in this solution overnight.
- You can even add liquid glue to the mixture so that the objects stick together in chunks, especially sawdust.
- After soaking it for several hours, get the objects out and spread them out on a sheet so they will dry.
- This works when you are planning to use these for a campfire, but if a burner is being used, you will need to use an alcohol solution to mix the colorants in instead of water. The rest of the procedure remains the same.
- Your raw material is all set to be used.
- Take wax from any old candle and carefully melt it in a vessel.
- Use paper cups and pour the chemicals at the base of the cup (till about a fourth fills).
- Now add the melted wax and stir.
- Make sure no lumps remain.
- Let the wax set.
- Simply cut the cup out and get the patties out.
- Throw the different colored patties into the fire for an awesome effect.
- Do not make use of this form of fire when cooking, it can be toxic.
- Make sure that all the cooking is done before you use these in a campfire.
- Be careful around kids and maintain effective fire safety pointers.
- Most of these substances can be bought at a laundry, a chemist, or at a drug store.