ABSTRACT
Photoflash compositions are used in aerial photography during night time. Aerial photography involves dropping a photoflash cartridge or a photoflash bomb from an aircraft and recording a film. Finely divided aluminium and magnesium or magnesium–aluminium alloys are used as fuels and potassium perchlorate and barium nitrate as oxidisers. The loose powder provides high flame temperature and high luminosity in million candela, which is considered sufficient for aerial photography. This chapter highlights the role, constituents, mechanism, differences between photoflash and illuminating compositions and factors affecting photoflash compositions. It also provides typical photoflash compositions, flash requirements for photography, desensitisation of photoflash compositions and its special requirements. References are provided at the end of the chapter.
