/sci/ - Science & Math

Pyrotechnics time. I'm trying to create a fuel, ideally based on methylated spirits (95% ethanol, 5% methanol), that has a flame colour other than yellow. I've managed to make a decent shade of green via adding boric acid, which as I understand it gives triethylborate/trimethylborate, which works wonderfully.

Now, a lot of articles found via the googlebeast suggest things like potassium chloride for purple, calcium chloride for orange, and so on - this simply does not work. It's possible the flame colouration imparted by the potassium chloride is too similar to the normal pale blue to be noticeable, however the calcium definitively does nothing, unless you literally light a pile of the stuff with a few drops of meths on it, or take a jet lighter to the crystals.

Ideally I'm looking for red, purple and a strong blue, however blue is always a bitch in pyrotechnics so I don't hold out much hope for that.

Does anyone have any suggestions, that they know to work when dissolved in alcohol fuels? Just because something flame tests a certain colour doesn't mean it'll be applicable, sadly.