Difference between revisions of "Alum Crystal"

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[[File:[[File:alum spice photo.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Grocery store alum]]][http://www.periodictable.com/Samples/Alum2/s13.JPG]]]
 
[[File:[[File:alum spice photo.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Grocery store alum]]][http://www.periodictable.com/Samples/Alum2/s13.JPG]]]
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[[File:[[File:alum cyrstal.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Alum crystal]]][https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/9/gallery/alum/Alum-Collection.png]]]
  
 
==Alum Background==
 
==Alum Background==
 
From the wikipedia page on Alum <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alum</ref>
 
From the wikipedia page on Alum <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alum</ref>
  
You may find it in the grocery store's spice aisle. It is often used to make pickles crispy, but can also be used to grow large, diamond like crystals. Alum is a hydrated double sulfate salt of aluminum. “Alum” also known as aluminum potassium sulfate.  
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You may find it in the grocery store's spice aisle. It is often used to make pickles crispy, but can also be used to grow large, diamond like crystals. Alum is a hydrated double sulfate salt of aluminum and potassium. “Alum” also known as aluminum potassium sulfate.  
Alum is a non-toxic compound but may cause eye irritation.
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Alum is a non-toxic compound, with medicinal uses, but may cause eye irritation.
  
 
==What are Crystals?==
 
==What are Crystals?==
  
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Crystals may be found in nature or created in a lab and are characterized as having an orderly, repetitive atomic arrangement. This arrangement is known as a crystal lattice. Large single crystals are identifiable by their geometric shape, often including flat faces. Many inorganic solids are polycrystals, rather than crystals. A polycrystal is a fusion of many individual crystals into one structure. Recrystallization is a common technique used to purify substances.
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<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal</ref>
  
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===Creating Alum Crystals===
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<ref>https://www.thoughtco.com/growing-a-big-alum-crystal-602197</ref>
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Alum is a small white crystal. A larger alum crystal structure can be created from the compound. General steps are listed below:
  
===Creating Alum Crystals===
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# Pour hot water into a clean container
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# Slowly add alum, until saturated solution is created. Food coloring can be added at this stage.
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# Lightly cover saturated alum solution with paper towel to avoid contamination
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# 12-24 hours later, transfer solution to new container, at the bottom of this container are the “seed crystals” used to grow a larger crystal
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# Tie string around the largest “seed crystal”
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# Let the “seed crystal” hang in the saturated alum solution, without touching the bottom or sides of the container
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# Add more alum to the solution to maintain a saturated solution
  
Alum is a small white crystal. A larger alum crystal structure can be created from the compound. General steps are listed below:
 
#
 
  
 
===Examples===
 
===Examples===
'''Video'''"How to Make Giant Borax Crystals"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7g_KNm1dus&t=322s]
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'''Video'''"DIY Crystal at Home"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DUDhkw3AF4]
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'''Video'''"Grow Transparent Single Alum Crystals"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIAkWaQi0AE]
  
'''Website''' "Giant Borax Crystals"[https://www.thoughtco.com/diy-giant-borax-crystals-606240]"DIY Borax Crystals"[https://www.danslelakehouse.com/2015/01/diy-borax-crystals.html]
 
  
===Possible Alterations===
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'''Protocol''' "Growing Alum Crystals"[https://www.raci.org.au/document/item/249] <ref>https://www.raci.org.au/document/item/249</ref>
'''Make it Glow''' To make your crystal glow under UV light, you can add the contents of a fluorescent highlighter into the saturated Borax solution. If food coloring is used to make the crystals a different color, the intensity of the glow can be reduced.
 
  
'''Different Base <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMfc2Z-LWBY</ref>''' If you don't want to use a pipe cleaner as the base for the crystal, another possibility is to use a clay or polymer base. Use the following instructions:
 
#prepare the supersaturated Borax solution as stated in the original directions
 
#shape the clay or polymer into the shape you want
 
#bake the base so it can harden
 
#use glue or modgepodge to coat the inside of the base
 
#sprinkle Borax powder on the glue to give a thick coat
 
#submerge the base in the saturated solution and let it sit overnight
 
  
 
==References==
 
==References==

Latest revision as of 14:26, 24 April 2019

back to Crystal Growing...

[[File:

Grocery store alum

][1]]] [[File:

Alum crystal

][2]]]

Alum Background

From the wikipedia page on Alum [1]

You may find it in the grocery store's spice aisle. It is often used to make pickles crispy, but can also be used to grow large, diamond like crystals. Alum is a hydrated double sulfate salt of aluminum and potassium. “Alum” also known as aluminum potassium sulfate.

Alum is a non-toxic compound, with medicinal uses, but may cause eye irritation.

What are Crystals?

Crystals may be found in nature or created in a lab and are characterized as having an orderly, repetitive atomic arrangement. This arrangement is known as a crystal lattice. Large single crystals are identifiable by their geometric shape, often including flat faces. Many inorganic solids are polycrystals, rather than crystals. A polycrystal is a fusion of many individual crystals into one structure. Recrystallization is a common technique used to purify substances. [2]

Creating Alum Crystals

[3] Alum is a small white crystal. A larger alum crystal structure can be created from the compound. General steps are listed below:

  1. Pour hot water into a clean container
  2. Slowly add alum, until saturated solution is created. Food coloring can be added at this stage.
  3. Lightly cover saturated alum solution with paper towel to avoid contamination
  4. 12-24 hours later, transfer solution to new container, at the bottom of this container are the “seed crystals” used to grow a larger crystal
  5. Tie string around the largest “seed crystal”
  6. Let the “seed crystal” hang in the saturated alum solution, without touching the bottom or sides of the container
  7. Add more alum to the solution to maintain a saturated solution


Examples

Video"DIY Crystal at Home"[3]

Video"Grow Transparent Single Alum Crystals"[4]


Protocol "Growing Alum Crystals"[5] [4]


References