Chemistry of pyrotechnics

Non-Metallic Elements

Several readily-oxidized nonmetallic elements have found widespread use in the field of pyrotechnics. The requirements again are stability to air and moisture, good heat-per-gram output, and reasonable cost. Materials in common use include sulfur, boron, silicon, and phosphorus. Their properties are summarized in Table.

Properties of the Non-Metallic Elements Used as Fuels in Hight-Energy Mixtures