How Do Sparklers Work?
Sparklers are hand-held pyrotechnic devices that burn for up to a minute, producing bright showers of sparks. They are composed of several different compounds, including fuel, an oxidizer such as potassium nitrate, powdered iron or other metals and some type of binder. The purpose of the powdered metal in the mix is to produce different colored sparks. Each type of metal produces different colored sparks when burned. Aluminum, for example, produces white sparks, while iron produces orange sparks, and ferrotitanium produces gold sparks. The fuel used for sparklers is a combination of charcoal and sulfur. The fuel and the oxidizer are bound together with sugar or starch and mixed with water to create what is called a “slurry.” When a wire is dipped into this muddy mixture, it will become coated, and form a sparkler when it dries. The slurry can also be poured into a tube mold and dried to become another style of sparkler. Once the slurry has dried, the sparkler, now in the shape of a sti
