Microscopic Studies and Application of a Stabilized Ceric Ammonium Nitrate Oxidizer in Environmentally Friendly Pyrotechnic Strobes.

The growing reservations against the use of any kind of chlorine source in pyrotechnic items revolutionize the predominantly empirical development of strobe formulations in two ways. First, a conventionally applied ammonium perchlorate oxidizer needs to be replaced. Second, visible light emissions should no longer be generated by metastable monochloride species. Moreover, until now, toxic substances such as potassium dichromate have been added in order to achieve a more pronounced strobe effect. This work evaluates the potential of stearic acid-treated ceric ammonium nitrate to serve as an oxidizing agent in next-generation strobe compositions. For this purpose, its microscopic structure, energetic properties, and stability under ambient conditions were assessed. A two-component mixture with a magnesium-aluminum alloy was investigated, which should allow for the introduction of copper-based colorants. This potentially paves the way for the first environmentally friendly blue strobe formulations.