## Gum arabic

**Formula**

Mixture of compounds

**Pyrotechnics use**

Binder

**Synonyms**

TBD

**Description**

This gum resin, also known as Acacia gum, is obtained mainly from acacia wood and is produced in Many hot dry areas of the world, mainly Sudan, the rest of the Horn of Africa, Southern Arabia, and India. The resin occurs in colourless, yellowish or brown pieces, and is largely protein based. Gum Arabic is soluble in water and alcohol, or a mix of the two. Gum Arabic solutions tend to ferment during storage and become acidic. Therefore they are generally consumed within one day after manufacture while old adhesives are discarded for safety reasons. It is usual to employ the gum with gunpowder type compositions only, and is generally thought to be the best adhesive for Black match and Quick match manufacture.

In strength of binding, Gum Arabic is superior to most other binders. Stars made with three to five per cent Gum Arabic are suitable for hard flash breaks.

**Sources** 

Gum Arabic may be bought in artistic painting supply stores alongside other binders like Red gum. It can also be obtained from stores that supply conservators - like shellac or red gum, it is sometimes used to seal wood surfaces. Gum Arabic is most commonly used in gummy sweets and soft drinks, though extraction from a can of coke is a process that the author does not think would be effective, and has never heard of being attempted.

**Hazards**

Gum Arabic is not particularly dangerous or toxic under normal conditions, but Gum Arabic solutions tend to ferment during storage, and become acidic. Therefore, they are generally consumed within one day after manufacture while old adhesives are discarded for safety reasons. Due to this, Gum Arabic is not to be used with compositions containing chlorates, under any circumstance.
