How to Make Blue Flames

I wanted to make Red, Blue, and Green flames for my fire breathing dragon mask. This is how I did the Blue.

Links to related projects:

Red Fire: https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Red-F...

Green Fire: https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Green...

Fire Breathing Dragon Mask: https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-a-Fi...

Step 1: Materials Required

1. Methanol
2. Copper Sulphate (or Copper Chloride II)
3. Hydrochloric Acid

You must use Methanol, or ethanol, because they burn with an invisible flame. If you use another fuel, they usually burn yellow, and will not give as clear and vivid colours.

Methanol is adsorbed through the skin. It damages the liver, and if you ingest 50ml or so, you can suffer from blindness which could be permanent. A cure for methanol poisoning is ethanol. But it's best to give your liver a rest and avoid the methanol in the first place.

Copper sulphate is corrosive, as is Hydrochloric acid.

Step 2: Mixing Them Together

A stir plate isn't necessary, but an erlenmeyer flask and a stir bar will make life easier on you. I'd suggest a 500ml flask, My 1L is too big really. 250ml is probably too small for this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Academy-Measuring-Molecu...

Stir bars are pretty cheap:https://www.amazon.co.uk/AJSR-magnetic-stirrer-mix...

You can easily make one out of a pc fan and two magnets.Instructions on how to make a stir plate:https://www.instructables.com/id/Stir-Plate-From-Co...

There are plenty of other instructables on this too. I might do my own at some point.

First mix the Copper sulphate and Hydrochloric acid until it's dissolved, then add that to the methanol. you want a solid >70% methanol to ensure flammability.

Step 3: Test It Out

Burn it, just do it in a well ventilated space. Don't breath in the fumes. Wear PPE as necessary. Follow the MSDS for the chemicals you buy.

• You can burn it in an empty can.
• Or use a spray bottle to spray it.
• Or even use a fuel injector off a car, though this will break it in my experience.

Links to related projects:

Red Fire: https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Red-F...

Green Fire: https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Green...

Fire Breathing Dragon Mask: https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-a-Fi...

Comments

[QueenTeagan]

What ratio of Copper sulphate to HCl do you use? Loving the blue flames sm!

[LetsBuildOne]

The chloride ion is the one you want. Copper Chloride II works far better than Copper Sulphate. That's the point of the HCl; it turns the green burning copper sulphate into blue burning copper chloride II and sulphuric acid.

Ideally you want to start with copper chloride II, then add enough HCl for it to become liquid, then add something like 5ml to 95ml of Methanol. See how it burns. If it's green add more HCl in small doses. If it's not blue enough add more copper chloride II and HCl. If it's blue enough dilute it with more Methanol until it dulls. The less HCl in the methanol the better because the Chloride attacks metals, even stainless steel.

[viktorchu12]

Can I use any of the pictures in this guide

[LetsBuildOne]

Sure. As long as you credit me.

[viktorchu12]

K, thanks

[DaveyG2]

What molarity of hcl is used?

[LetsBuildOne]

12.1M it doesn't take much copper chloride II, but it does need far more HCl. Then you don't need much of that in your methanol. It will eat metals and ruin rubber seals. Finding a long term reliable delivery system is tricky to say the least.