How to make a crystal from copper. How to grow a crystal from copper sulfate at home. How to grow a crystal from copper sulfate - a long option

Grown copper crystals

It is not difficult to grow copper crystals, they grow quickly and are very beautiful. To do this, you will need copper sulfate, which can be bought at a gardening store, coarse edible salt, small nails, a plastic or glass container with a wide neck, and water. The first step is to prepare the container. For the experiment, we took a plastic bottle (cask kvass is sold in such containers). The volume of the bottle is 3 liters, but you can take less. The bottom of the tank is not even, but cellular. We couldn't find another container and considered the cellular bottom to be a disadvantage, but later it turned out that the cells provide additional space for crystal growth.

We put on rubber gloves. We pour copper sulfate at the bottom of the container, trying not to dust and not breathe vitriol dust. In total, three bags of vitriol 100 grams each were taken for a three-liter bottle, but four could have been taken. over blue vitriol Sprinkle the salt as carefully as possible. This is not easy to do, since the vitriol is fine-grained and light, and the salt is coarse-grained (salting) and heavy. Carefully, spoon by spoon (preferably plastic!), Pour salt.

The described experience shows that we took little salt. Were taken 1 part of copper sulfate and three parts of salt (by volume). But it would be better to take 5 parts of salt so that the space for crystal growth increases. We'll do just that next time.

On top of the salt we pour a layer of small iron nails, at least 1 cm thick. I think it is better not to take paper clips and other metal stationery, as they may have some kind of coating (nickel, unknown alloys, plastic).

Experience shows that next time you should not pour nails directly on the salt, as you can damage the extracted crystals. Next time we will put the nails on filter paper laid on top of the salt.

After the "layer cake" is ready. it must be filled with a saturated solution of table salt. To do this, boil water, add and stir the salt until it stops dissolving (this indicates that the solution has become supersaturated). The resulting solution is cooled to room temperature and be sure to filter through a cloth. The cooled and filtered solution is carefully poured into a container with a “layer cake”.

In just an hour, the water will turn yellowish. This indicates that the chemical reaction has begun (Fe + CuSO4 = Cu + FeSO4).

So, our "difficult" experience is collected. We cover the bottle with any lid that will prevent the evaporation of water and put it in a quiet place where it will not experience shaking.

For the entire time of crystal growth, the bottle cannot be moved, rotated, shaken, etc. The door should not slam next to it, the floor should not vibrate here. We chose a quiet place behind the closet.

Already after 3-4 days, beautiful branch-like crystals appeared in the salt on the border with vitriol, which increased in size every day. The crystals grew up among the salt and down into the blue vitriol.


It is time to finish the experiment and look at the crystals. Crystal growth continued for about 2.5 - 3 weeks, until copper sulphate was practically used up and darkening appeared in the upper part of the dendrites, indicating the beginning of unnecessary side processes.

The solution was carefully drained from the bottle, although, in the case when the nails are poured just like that, on salt, and not on filter paper, it is better to pump it out.

The thin-walled bottle was then carefully cut off at the top with scissors (since the top of the bottle is slightly rounded). The contents were turned over on a sieve, the copper crystals were removed and washed with running water. This is meticulous and painstaking work. Utensils and utensils that were used for the experiment should not be used for food storage and preparation.

So, very beautiful, pinkish-orange copper crystals were grown, in which their shape and structure are clearly visible. They form aggregates and dendrites (tree-like branches).

Unfortunately, in the air, wonderful copper crystals immediately begin to darken and a film of oxides forms on them (copper reacts with CO2 in the air). They need to be dried urgently (we dried on a sieve on a battery). But an oxide film still formed.

Dried crystals can be coated with acrylic lacquer (sold in an art salon), or stored in tightly closed plastic boxes.

Crystal… This very word smells of something mysterious and magical. They have long aroused admiration, and often admiration. Many of them received their own names. True, most of them were diamonds, rubies, emeralds and others. gems natural origin. Strictness and symmetry of form, diversity colors, the play of light on the edges ... Is it possible to at least partially reproduce this magnificent spectacle under normal conditions? The answer is clear - it's possible. From almost any water-soluble crystalline substance available in everyday life, if desired, with certain knowledge and patience, a person can grow crystals that will delight the eye, decorate the interior and flatter the pride of their creator . But for this you need quite a bit:

• the substrate from which the crystal will be formed;
• dishes (preferably glass), where the future "masterpiece" will grow
• water (preferably distilled), in which the salt will be dissolved;
• diligence, diligence, patience.

Before growing a crystal from copper sulfate, you need to decide on the source material. Sugar, available in any modern home, disappears not only because of its unlimited edibility (there are cases of experimental cultivation of crystals from sugar by enthusiastic scientists even in besieged Leningrad), but also because crystals form extremely slowly.

Perhaps the second most accessible connection - salt(NaCl) , giving translucent crystals of almost perfect cubic shape. But crystals of a compound known colloquially as blue vitriol grow much faster. Yes, and they look much nicer.

What is copper sulfate?

What is copper sulfate? Any chemist will answer this question that this substance (copper sulfate) is a white (more often, slightly grayish due to the almost irresistible presence of impurities) crystalline powder with the chemical formula CuSO 4 . This is an extremely hygroscopic compound - from almost any substance containing easily separated water, it takes it away. This feature determines the fact that CuSO 4 under normal conditions is in the state that everyone is used to seeing in hardware or gardening stores. It has the appearance of surprisingly beautiful turquoise blue crystals. At the same time, its formula looks somewhat different - CuSO 4 5H 2 O.

First naive experience

To obtain copper sulfate crystals of the appropriate quality, you need
prepare its saturated solution. Turning to the reference books, anyone will find that the solubility of hydrated vitriol at 20 ° C is 35.6%. This means that 100 ml of water cannot physically dissolve more than 35.6 g of salt.

Thus, to make 500 ml of a saturated solution at normal room temperature, only 178 g of copper sulfate is needed. However, this limit can be easily overcome. With increasing temperature, the solubility in water of most salts increases. Copper sulphate is no exception. When heated, the solubility of CuSO 4 gradually increases exponentially to a threshold of 65-70 ° C (such an indicator for dehydrated copper sulphate is approximately 1.3). Further heating becomes not only useless, but often destructive for the future crystal.

A simple calculation using a calculator or pencil and paper shows that to prepare 500 ml of a heated saturated solution, 270-300 g of the original salt will be needed. By pouring a pre-measured amount of CuSO 4 with hot distilled water with thorough stirring, we achieve maximum dissolution of the salt. The aqueous solution thus has a saturated blue color. A small amount of undissolved vitriol may remain at the bottom. It will have to be filtered through loose filter paper, synthetic absorbent cotton, or several layers of gauze.

Leaving the filtered solution for several hours at a constant normal temperature, we get a “scattering” of beautiful crystals from copper sulphate of a fairly regular shape. After additional filtration and drying, the crystals will be able to take their rightful place in the room for a while.

The process of growing crystals from copper sulfate, of course, can be accelerated . To do this, place the container with the solution in the refrigerator. In this case, the liquid remains in a state of stable equilibrium. For the formation of crystals need a "push". Such a "push" for a hypersaturated solution of vitriol will be a small crystal (seed). In this case, large druses of small crystals form very quickly around the seed crystal.

Further development of the idea

If it is desirable to grow elegant beads, it is enough to lower a cotton or woolen thread into a saturated solution. A separate crystal of copper sulphate will form around each villus.

If it is necessary to grow a large crystal from a copper
vitriol, have to do otherwise . First, again, a saturated solution is needed, but the seed is tied to a fishing line or synthetic thread. This is necessary so that small side crystals do not form. The seed can be chosen from the most beautiful in shape and color of the crystals mentioned in the first experiment. It should not touch the bottom and walls of the vessel. The solution should not be cloudy or contain fine sediment at the bottom. At a constant temperature to a size of 1 cm, the crystal will grow in a week. Copper sulfate crystals of 5-10 cm look amazingly beautiful. This result can be achieved in 1-1.5 months. It should be borne in mind that the saturated solution will have to be periodically topped up, carefully observing the growth of the crystal. Ideally, the crystal will look smooth, with clear edges, and have an intense blue color.

In order for the copper sulfate crystal to be preserved for a long time (under normal conditions, copper sulfate crystals are quickly destroyed), it is recommended to cover it with a protective layer of colorless universal glue (but not Cyanopan and its analogues) or nail polish. You can also place the grown crystal in a hermetically sealed glass vessel.

This article will talk in detail about how to grow a crystal from copper sulfate at home. This material can be useful both for schoolchildren when preparing a task in the subject of "chemistry", and for everyone interested in this science.

Why copper sulphate?

This substance belongs to the class of salts, which means that its solution can easily be turned into a solid through the process of crystallization. Growth of stone from it, as a rule, occurs much faster than using materials such as table salt or sugar. In addition, copper sulfate crystals turn out to be a beautiful blue color. With proper cultivation, they acquire the correct multifaceted shape, so it can be very interesting and pleasant to observe the result of your own experience.

Another argument in favor of choosing this particular material may be its availability. You can buy a jar of blue vitriol at any store specializing in the sale of accessories for gardeners and summer residents.

What do you need to know before starting the experience?

In this chapter, some theoretical knowledge will be given that will help you grow a crystal from copper sulfate at home in the future. First of all, you need to understand what processes must occur in order for the experience to be successful.

From chemistry lessons, schoolchildren know that many liquid and gaseous substances are capable of acquiring a solid consistency. This usually occurs during the crystallization process. But what if the task is to obtain a solid substance from sugar, salt or blue vitriol, which are already such? Science says it's entirely possible. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to start the recrystallization process. That is, the result of the experiment can be considered successful if small stones, having dissolved in a liquid, are immediately converted into the same solid clots.

Recrystallization

The main condition under which such a process can be carried out is the presence of a supersaturated solution.

This means that growing crystals at home from copper sulfate requires the manufacture of such a mixture. A liquid can be called supersaturated with some substance if there is so much material dissolved in it that part of it cannot completely mix with it and settles at the bottom of the container. Therefore, in order to figure out how to grow a crystal from copper sulfate, you must first learn how to make a supersaturated solution.

Hygiene requirements

First of all, it is worth taking care of the necessary sterility in which the experiment should take place. Ideally, the hair of an amateur chemist should be covered with a hat, and it is best to wear rubber gloves on your hands. Copper sulfate, if handled carefully and reasonably, does not pose any danger to the human body.

All of the above precautions are needed primarily to protect the solution from dust and small particles of foreign materials. This is extremely undesirable, since other crystals may begin to grow on such grains of sand that accidentally fall into the liquid, which will slow down the development of the main stone.

Supersaturated Solution Recipe

To prepare it, you will need a saucepan, water, a jar of blue vitriol, a container in which the main part of the experiment will be carried out (a vessel with transparent walls is best for this purpose, since you will need to monitor the growth of the crystal daily). Also, for the implementation of the task, a sheet of paper, a match and a thread are useful (best of all, if it is not fleecy, but, for example, silk or made of similar material).

So, we proceed to the first stage of making a crystal from copper sulfate at home. A pot of water must be put on a slow fire. When the liquid is already warm enough, but still does not have time to boil, you need to pour a few tablespoons of copper sulfate into it. Water should be stirred until the blue substance is completely dissolved.

Repeating this step multiple times

When this happens, add a couple more tablespoons of copper sulfate. The liquid must again be thoroughly stirred.

Do not be afraid if this time not all the crystals of the substance were able to dissolve, and some of them formed a precipitate at the bottom of the pan. The appearance of such an excess just indicates that you have achieved the desired result - namely, you have received a supersaturated solution. If this did not happen, then it is necessary to add a few more tablespoons of vitriol to the water and stir again. These steps will have to be repeated until sediment appears at the bottom of the pan.

Making "bait"

Such a fishing term is sometimes called crystals of copper sulphate of small size, which serve as the basis for further growing stones from this substance.

To make them, you need to take three small particles. When choosing crystals, one must take into account the criterion for the correctness of their shape. The more perfect the selected pieces are, the more correct and better the clot obtained as a result of your experience will be.

Three particles are placed at the bottom of a transparent vessel and filled with a supersaturated solution of vitriol.

After that, the container is covered with a sheet of paper and placed in a place with the most stable temperature conditions. As a rule, experts recommend placing it on the windowsill.

This place in the apartment is considered the most secluded, and therefore nothing can interfere with the implementation of the experiment. After all the necessary actions have been taken, all further steps in growing a crystal from copper sulfate at home can be postponed for 2 days. During this time, the particles placed in the liquid should grow several times and reach the size of a match head.

Selection of the best applicant

Of these ingots, it is necessary to select the one that has the most correct shape. This is the so-called "bait". Next, you need to make again a supersaturated solution of copper sulfate. How to do it is described in the previous chapters. It should be filtered through cheesecloth and poured back into a transparent container. The crystal chosen as "bait" must be tied to a thread, the other end of which must be fixed on a match.

Take a sheet of paper and make a hole in the middle of it of such a size that a manufactured pebble of blue vitriol can freely pass through it. Pass a thread through this hole so that the crystal is on one side of the sheet, and the match is on the other. After that, cover the jar with this paper. In this case, the match, of course, should lie on top, and the crystal should float in the liquid.

Patience and more patience

The task of how to make a crystal from copper sulfate is almost solved. Now you just need to put the vessel back in a secluded place and wait.

It is necessary to ensure that the crystal, if possible, is in the center of the jar and does not come into contact with the walls. This can be achieved by moving a sheet of paper and adjusting the length of the thread with a match as the crystal grows.

Various ways

We bring to your attention a few more master classes. Copper sulphate crystals can be grown in a slightly different way.

The second way is to place the jar with the "bait" in a thermally insulated container or wrap the jar in a blanket or other warm thing. In this way, a slower cooling of a supersaturated solution can be achieved. This option is more complex than the one described earlier, but as a result of its application, pebbles of a very regular shape are obtained. The next way to grow a crystal from copper sulfate is the easiest.

No need to make a "bait". A thread is placed in a container with a supersaturated solution. In this case, it is best to choose one that is made from the most fleecy material. Its end is tied to a faceted pencil, which is placed on top of the can on its walls. The crystal will form on the thread itself.

Depending on the temperature conditions, the cultivation experience can last from one week to several months.

Tsvetkov Andrey

At the lessons of the world around us and on hikes in our republic, we learned that crystals are often found in nature. For example, snowflakes, frosty patterns on the windows and frost that adorns bare tree branches in winter. All stones are crystals! And not only bright and shiny gems (diamonds, rubies, sapphires), but also ordinary ones that make up mountains, rocks, gorges and caves. There are even crystals that you can eat! These are salt and sugar, which are available in every kitchen. Crystals are widely used in science, industry, optics, and electronics. My family and I live in a private house. We have a garden where we grow vegetables, fruits and flowers. One day, my mother treated the plants with a strange blue liquid, and I decided to find out why she does this? Mom said that this is a solution of copper sulfate and it is needed in order to protect fruits and vegetables from various diseases. I wanted to know more about this substance. Having studied the literature, we learned that blue vitriol is salt (salt - from a chemical point of view) of blue color, not poisonous to humans (unless you eat it) and it is used not only in gardening, but also in medicine, in construction and even in Food Industry! But the most interesting thing for me was that every single particle of this salt is a crystal! It turns out that you can grow crystals yourself! We were very interested in this topic, and we decided to grow a crystal from copper sulfate salt. After all, it should turn out very beautiful and colorful! But how to do this, what precautions to take, my parents and I did not know. Therefore, we decided to study this process.

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Research work: "Growing copper sulphate crystals at home"

Good afternoon, dear members of the jury, guests and young researchers!

My name is Andrey Tsvetkov, I am a student of grade 3 B, school number 113.

I bring to your attention research work on the topic: "Growing copper sulfate crystals at home."

At the lessons of the world around us and on hikes in our republic, we learned that crystals are often found in nature. For example, snowflakes, frosty patterns on the windows and frost that adorns bare tree branches in winter. All stones are crystals! And not only bright and shiny gems (diamonds, rubies, sapphires), but also ordinary ones that make up mountains, rocks, gorges and caves. There are even crystals that you can eat! These are salt and sugar, which are available in every kitchen. Crystals are widely used in science, industry, optics, and electronics. My family and I live in a private house. We have a garden where we grow vegetables, fruits and flowers. One day, my mother treated the plants with a strange blue liquid, and I decided to find out why she does this? Mom said that this is a solution of copper sulfate and it is needed in order to protect fruits and vegetables from various diseases. I wanted to know more about this substance. Having studied the literature, we learned that blue vitriol is salt (salt - from a chemical point of view) of blue color, not poisonous to humans (unless you eat it) and it is used not only in gardening, but also in medicine, in construction and even in the food industry! But the most interesting thing for me was that every single particle of this salt is a crystal! It turns out that you can grow crystals yourself! We were very interested in this topic, and we decided to grow a crystal from copper sulfate salt. After all, it should turn out very beautiful and colorful! But how to do this, what precautions to take, my parents and I did not know. Therefore, we decided to study this process.

So the research topic was chosen: "Growing crystals of copper sulphate at home."

The relevance of researchis that the cultivation of crystals is an exciting and educational activity and, perhaps, the simplest, most accessible and inexpensive. Crystals have played and still play an important role in human life.

Objective: learn how to grow copper sulfate crystals at home

Tasks:

1. Learn what crystals are.

2. To study the process of growing crystals.

3. Familiarize yourself with the safety measures when working with copper sulphate.

4. Grow a crystal from copper sulfate salt.

5. Analyze the results.

Object of studyare crystals.

Subject of research- the process of crystallization.

Research hypothesis: we assume that copper sulfate crystals can be grown at home

Research methods:

The accumulation of theoretical material.

Carrying out experimental activities in order to obtain crystals from copper sulphate.

Analysis of the results of the study.

Necessary equipment:

1. Copper sulfate salt (available at a gardening store).

2. Capacity where we will grow our crystal.

3.Thread.

4.Pencil.

What are crystals?

Crystals, translated from Greek, (krystallos) means "ice". According to the encyclopedia, a crystal is a solid body. Crystals grow by attaching particles of matter from liquid or vapor. Crystals are of natural origin and artificial, grown in specially created conditions. And each person, if desired, can easily grow crystals at home.

After analyzing the text material, we determined the research methods, carried out experimental work on growing crystals at home.

Growing crystals from copper sulfate.

Growing crystals is a very, very interesting activity. But in order for the result to turn out really beautiful, you need to carefully follow all the steps and be patient. We learned from books and the Internet that crystals can be grown in many ways, for example, by cooling a saturated salt solution. With decreasing temperature, the solubility of most substances decreases, and they are said to precipitate. First, tiny crystals - nuclei - appear in the solution and on the walls of the vessel. When cooling is slow, there are few of them. On rapid cooling, however, more such nuclei are formed, and the process itself proceeds more actively. At the same time, crystals that are correct in shape do not work, because a lot of them grow and they interfere with each other. Therefore, you need to take one of these crystals and use it as a so-called seed. It will be like a magnet, to which particles of matter from the liquid will be attracted and attached. It turns out that even if our original crystal has an irregular shape, sooner or later it will straighten out all its defects and take on a shape characteristic of given substance. The crystal of copper sulphate should turn out in the form of a rhombus, which we had to check.

Security measures

When growing a crystal from copper sulfate, you must always remember that this is a chemical reagent, so children can work with it only under the supervision of their parents. Although copper sulfate is not poisonous, it is necessary to observe safety measures:

1. Do not taste copper sulfate salt.

2. Avoid contact with the nose and eyes.

3. It is strictly forbidden to eat from the dishes that were used during the experiment.

4. During the growth of the crystal, do not touch it with your hands, because fingerprints will remain on it, and the crystal will grow in an irregular shape.

5. Always wash your hands at the end of the experiments.

Stages of growing a crystal from copper sulfate

Stage 1 . From the beginning we prepare the solution. Pour about 200 ml of hot water into a jar or glass. We begin to add copper sulfate. Pour a tablespoon, stir. The vitriol will dissolve very quickly. Add another spoonful and stir again. We do this until the salt begins to settle at the bottom, after which we filter the solution through a handkerchief.

Stage 2. While the solution is cooling, prepare the "seed". The seed is a large crystal of copper sulphate or a bead or button. We filter the solution through a handkerchief, on which precipitation remains in the form of crystals, for seeding we chose the largest of them.

Stage 3. We fixed the seed on the thread.

Stage 4. We place the seed on the thread inside the glass with the solution. In this case, the seed should not touch the walls of the vessel or its bottom. Therefore, we tie the thread to the stick in the middle. Place the stick across the neck of the glass.

Stage 5 We leave the beaker with the suspended seed alone and wait until crystals begin to form. When the crystal reaches the desired size, we take it out of the solution, cut the thread.

Stage 6 In order to make our crystal even more beautiful, you can cover it with colorless nail polish.

Result : We received a crystal of blue vitriol. Small shaped crystals grown can be used as decoration, such as photo frames or other items.

Conclusion: In doing this work, we found out that the world of crystals is beautiful and diverse. Each of its representatives is unique in its properties, size and structural features. In addition to being beautiful, crystals play an important role in human life.

In the course of our work, we investigated a very interesting property of crystals - their growth in an artificial environment. It turns out that crystals can be grown at home, without any effort.

As a result of the research, the hypothesis is fully confirmed: we managed to grow copper sulfate crystals at home.

The practical significance of the research lies in the fact that it can be used in the lessons of the surrounding world, in extracurricular activities.

I would like to thank my parents and class teacher for their help in conducting the research.Thank you all for your attention!

natural rock crystals

Their education requires special conditions. For example, rock granite comprises crystals of quartz, feldspar and mica, which crystallized one after another as the magma cooled.

Beautiful hexagonal rock crystals grew from hot aqueous solutions saturated with SiO 2 silica.

natural sulfur crystals

Rhombic yellow crystals sulfur rose from the hydrogen sulfide waters of hot springs and geysers.

On the shores of salt lakes and seas one can see cubic crystals of rock salt - halite; white, red, yellow and even blue crystals of carnallite and mirabilite.

Diamonds, the hardest crystals, were formed under enormous pressure in the so-called explosion pipes (kimberlite pipes).

So, nature has created and continues to create mineral crystals. Can we see the mystery of crystal growth? Can we grow them ourselves? Yes of course we can. And now I will tell you how to do it at home.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM SALT

grown salt crystals

In order to grow crystals of table (rock) salt (halite - NaCl), you need to put a container of water on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Then remove the container from the stove and dissolve the usual salt from the pack in it. While constantly stirring the solution, add salt until you notice that it no longer dissolves.

The resulting saline solution must be filtered and poured into a flat dish, for example, in a saucer. The water will cool down and begin to evaporate, and on the edges of the saucer and on its bottom you will see transparent cubes of the correct shape - these are rock salt crystals, halite.

You can grow a large crystal, or several large cubic crystals. To do this, put a woolen thread into the container in which you dissolved the salt. When the solution cools, it will be covered with salt cubes. The slower the solution cools, the more regular the crystals will be. After a while, the growth will stop.

To grow one large crystal, you need to choose one, the most correct, from the many crystals formed at the bottom, put it on the bottom of a clean glass, and pour the solution from the previous dish on top.

For the growth of the right crystals, rest is needed. You can not shake or move the table or shelf on which there is a container with growing crystals.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM SUGAR

You can grow sugar crystals just like you can grow salt crystals. Sugar crystals can also be grown on wooden sticks and can be a nice addition to any holiday sweet dish. Food coloring added to the solution will color the sugar in all the colors of the rainbow.

sugar crystals

The following is complete instructions, how to grow sugar crystals on sticks.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM COPPER sulphate

Copper sulfate is sold in shops for gardeners, from it, and from slaked lime, they prepare "Bordeaux liquid" to protect plants from fungi and various diseases.

In order to grow a crystal of copper sulphate (Cu SO 4 * 5H 2 O) of the correct shape, powdered copper sulphate should be dissolved in water at a temperature of 80 degrees Celsius. At a higher temperature, the solubility of copper sulfate decreases. Dissolve the powder until the dissolution stops. At the end of the wire or woolen thread we tie a seed - a small crystal of the same copper sulphate. Where to get it? You can look in the same package from which you poured the vitriol into the water, a larger crystal. If this is not found, leave your solution to cool, and after a while you will see small crystals at the bottom.

Choose one and tie (or glue) it to a piece of wire or thread. Filter the solution. Then lower the prepared seed (crystal on a thread) into it. Never immerse the seed in a hot solution! The seed may simply dissolve. A large crystal of copper sulphate grows for several weeks. A crystal grown to the desired size must be varnished, since the moisture contained in the air will eventually melt and destroy it.

They are grown in a similar way, a detailed article about this can be read by clicking on the link in this proposal.

HOW TO GROW A CRYSTAL FROM POTASSIUM ALUMS

grown crystals of potassium alum

Potassium alum (KAI 2 * 12H 2 O - mineral alunite ) sold in pharmacies in powder form. This is a good remedy that "dries out the skin" and kills pathogens, this substance does not cause allergies and it is not toxic. Good crystals can be grown from potassium alum powder. Alum should be dissolved in warm water until saturated and the solution filtered. After a few days of being in a quiet place, at room temperature, small crystals will appear at the bottom of the container.

potassium alum (burnt alum) can be bought at a pharmacy

From these crystals, you need to select a few pieces of the correct shape and place them in another container. Then they are poured with the same solution. Seeds can be hung on thin threads (they can be glued to the thread with strong waterproof glue). Once every two or three days, the crystals must be transferred to a new glass, and the solution filtered and the growing crystals filled with them again. Alum crystals, grown to the desired size, should be varnished so that they do not melt from the moisture of the air and do not lose their shape.

Solutions for growing crystals should preferably be prepared with distilled water.

At home, you can get artificial malachite, using copper sulfate and washing soda, but these will not be beautiful crystals or an openwork patterned stone, but a green or dirty green precipitate at the bottom of the vessel (powder). Beautiful malachite, which practically does not differ from natural, can only be obtained using industrial equipment.

The enterprises also grow crystals of many minerals. But this cannot be repeated at home, this requires special equipment. Most crystals (quartz, amethyst, ruby, emerald, diamonds, malachite, garnets, etc.) are grown in cast iron autoclaves under high pressure. Temperatures reach 500-1000 degrees, and pressure - 3000 atmospheres.

Crystal Grow Kits

crystal growing kit

Right now in toy stores, large cities, appeared on sale kits for growing crystals. From powders ammonium and potassium dihydrogen phosphate, in which dyes are added, interesting prismatic and needle-shaped crystals can be grown. In order for the crystals to turn out to be large enough and beautiful, you must strictly follow the attached instructions.

Strange, but the instructions that are in the box shown in the photo do not indicate which one Chemical substance used to grow crystals and what kind of dye is used. Other than that, it's pretty detailed.