Candy Propellant Experiments Recrystallized rocket propellant made with Pixy Stix and Potassium Nitrate

Made according to my standard formula, it seems nearly identical to the propellant I've been using for years.  It has proven very effective when properly made, formed, and contained.  

A dozen Pixy Stix were opened and the contents dumped into a measuring cup on top of a digital scale.  Total weight:  26.4 grams, so each Stix contains just over 2 grams of powder.   52.8grams food-grade KNO3 added, along with 10 grams Karo Syrup and 50ml water.. All ingredients poured into 10 inch electric skillet, temperature set at 300 degrees F.  Stirred once to mix, then boiled until free moisture is evaporated and just until the mixture begins to brown a bit.  Then stirred every minute or so until a small  sample, cooled completely, snaps when bent. Temperature reduced to 250 degrees, and mixture stirred again.  Test strands formed for burn-rate tests. Click Here for a more thorough description of this procedure using plain sucrose.

       

   

   

   

   

    

 
Click Here for a short video of this strand burning (2.1 meg .mpg file, 15 seconds of video)

Burn was slower than desired, at about 15 seconds per linear inch.  This would be fine for a larger motor, but I plan to test it in a small one, so a faster burn rate is desired.   I added 1% red iron oxide (Fe2O3) to speed up the burn rate.  Also made it a pretty red.

 
Click Here for a short video of this strand burning.  (1.3 meg .mpg file, 15 seconds of video)
Burn rate is now about 9 seconds per inch, which is adequate for a small rocket motor.

Click Here to see a static test of a model rocket motor burning this propellant

Return to Candy Propellant Experiments page and check out the launch video.

James Yawn
jyawn@sfcc.net
Recrystallized Rocketry home page
4/2/06
rev. 5/9/06