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Colors in fireworks are usually generated by pyrotechnic
stars–usually just called stars–which produce intense light when
ignited. Stars contain five basic types of ingredients.
* A fuel which allows the star to burn
* An oxidizer—a compound which produces (usually) oxygen to support the
combustion of the fuel
* Color-producing chemicals
* A binder which holds the pellet together.
* A Chlorine Donor which provides chlorine to strengthen the color of
the flame. Some times the oxidizer can serve this purpose.
Some of the more common color-producing compounds are tabulated here.
The color of a compound in a firework will be the same as its color in a
flame test (shown at right). Not all compounds that produce a colored
flame are appropriate for coloring fireworks, however. Ideal colorants
will produce a pure, intense color when present in moderate
concentration.
| Color | Metal | Example compounds |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Strontium (intense red)
Lithium (medium red) |
SrCO3 (strontium carbonate)
Li2CO3 (lithium carbonate) |
| Orange | Calcium | CaCl2 (calcium chloride) |
| Yellow | Sodium | NaNO3 (sodium nitrate) |
| Green | Barium | BaCl+ (barium chloride ions) |
| Blue | Copper halides | CuCl2 (copper chloride), at low temperature |
| Purple | Potassium or Strontium + Copper | KNO3 (Potassium Nitrate) or SrCl+ + CuCl+ (Strontium Chloride + Copper Chloride) |
| Gold | Charcoal, iron, or lampblack | |
| White | Titanium, aluminium, or magnesium powders | |