What is the Paintball Recipe?

[Scooter/Cootie]

I'm in the process of a research project on Paintballs and I need some information that I hope you AOer's can provide. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

What I'm looking for is the ingredients/recipe of paintballs. Namely, I need the names and if possible the amounts/weight per ball that goes into its production.

Also, is it polyethylene glycol or Polypropylene glycol (PPG) that is used? I believe that one is anti-freeze but I'm not sure which. I guess thats why I'm not a chemist.


This is from the RPS website (Thanks Dr. StockClass). I can use this as a reference but it's not quite what I'm looking for.

What is inside a paintball?
Food dyes (pigments), the same as those in orange soda, candies, ice cream, bubblegum, mints, etc., and polyethylene glycol (not to be confused with antifreeze). The liquid fill in a paintball is non-toxic and non-caustic, water-soluble and made of biodegradable or naturally-occurring ingredients. When a paintball hits a target, the thin gelatin skin splits open as it is designed to do, and the liquid inside makes a "paint" mark on the target.

The gelatin skin is the same as is used to make gelcap pills that we take orally as medicine.


Thanks in advance for your help.

[cphilip]

Its one of the Propylene Glycol's probably(if its used at all) and one of these is indeed used in some forms of antifreeze. Non toxic forms. Like the type used in camping trailer water systems, and in some types of radiators designed to run it. However the other one you are thinking of is Ethylene Glycol. The toxic one. Not polyethylene glycol.

In fact I think it might be 1-2 Polypropylene Glycol is maybe the one they might be using. SO many of them though. I need to see a recipe too! I can do some search for you if I can find out for sure.



Sorry I know they use maybe starches (not sure the source) and maybe gelatin and plant and/or animal dyes. But not sure exactly never saw an ingredient list. Someone will know I bet.


plain old Polypropylene Glycol is : Translucent, white solid with density 0.90; melting point 168-171C; tensile strength 5,000 psi; flexural strength 7,000 psi; usable up to 121C. Insoluble in cold organic solvents; softened by hot solvents. Maintains strength after repeated flexing. Degraded by heat and light unless protected by antioxidants. Readily colored; good electrical resistance; low water absorption and moisture permeability; poor impact strength below -9.4C; not attacked by fungi or bacteria; resists strong acids and alkalies up to 60C, but is attacked by chlorine, fuming nitric acid, and other strong oxidizing agents. Combustible, but slow-burning. Fair abrasion and good heat resistance if properly modified. Can be chrome-plated, injection- and blow-molded, and extruded.
Forms: Available forms: Molding powder: extruded sheet, cast film (1-10 mils), textile staple and continuous filament yarn, fibers with diameters from 0.05 to 1 mm and fiber webs down to 2 microns thick, low-density foam.
Uses: Packaging film; molded parts for automobiles, appliances, housewares, etc.; wire and cable coating; food container closures; coated and laminated products; bottles; artificial grass and turfs; plastic pipe; wearing apparel (acid-dyed); fish nets; surgical casts; strapping; synthetic paper; reinforced plastics; non-woven disposable filters.

[hitech]

Most (if not all) manufactures keep their recipies a closely guarded secret. Unless you know someone on the inside you may not be able to find out. Good luck.

[Scooter/Cootie]

Excellent cphilip, thanks for the information.

But I am also looking for the amount per ball as well. If what hitech says is right (which it probably is), I may not be able to find it and I'll have to shelve this project for a while.

[cphilip]

Well if you come up with some specific ingredients I can pull up the properties for you. I have quite a few Chemical Reference Books on searchable CD rom format. Let me know...

IN the mean time I found several more of the Propylene Glycol polymers that might be used.

Here is another possibility:

alginate
Definition: Any of several derivatives of alginic acid (e.g., calcium, sodium, or potassium salts or propylene glycol alginate). They are hydrophilic colloids (hydrocolloids) obtained from seaweed. Sodium alginate is water-soluble but reacts with calcium salts to form insoluble calcium alginate.
Uses: Food additive (thickener, stabilizer), yarns and fibers, medicine (first-aid dressings), meat substitute, high-protein food analogs.

And another (I don't think it's this one because younotice what its soluble in? But just to give you an example of the varitey of these out there. Some are toxic, some are petroleum derived and some even flammable):

propylene glycol monostearate

Definition:The "Food Chemical Codex" grade is a mixture of propylene glycol mono- and diesters of stearic and palmitic acids. White beads or flakes, bland odor and taste, insoluble in water, soluble in alcohol, ethyl acetate, chloroform and other chlorinated hydrocarbons. Combustible.
Uses:Emulsifier, stabilizer.

Here's a good definition for you of Antifreeze:

antifreeze

Definition: (1) Water additive. Any compound that lowers the freezing point of water. Both sodium chloride and magnesium chloride were once used, but their extreme corrosive properties made them a liability in automotive cooling systems. Methanol requires only 27% by volume for protection to -17.7C. Due to its tendency to evaporate rapidly at operating temperatures, its flammability, and its low boiling point (63.9C), it has been replaced by glycol derivatives which are relatively noncorrosive, non-flammable, have very low evaporation rate, and are effective heat-exchange agents. A concentration of 35% protects against freezing to -17.7C. Ethylene and propylene glycol antifreezes can be carried in an automotive cooling system for several years without damage, and are satisfactory coolants at summer operating temperatures. Methoxypropanol has been introduced as an antifreeze-coolant for diesel engines.


Reference of all this is:

HAWLEY'S CONDENSED CHEMICAL DICTIONARY
13th Edition
Revised by Richard J. Lewis, Sr.