Alum Crystal

back to Crystal Growing...

[[File:Borax.jpeg|thumb|upright|right|[2]]]

An example of what a crystal can look like [1]

Borax Background

From the wikipedia page on Borax

Borax is a water-soluble mineral that can be found naturally in deposits produced by the evaporation of lakes; in fact, it was first discovered in dry lake beds in Tibet. It is a soft, white crystal powder that is commonly found in

• detergents
• cosmetics
• enamel glazes
• fire retardant
• buffer solutions

Other names for borax are sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate. From a chemical standpoint, the [B4O5(OH)4]2− ion is what identifies something as borax.

Safety

Sufficient exposure to Borax dust can cause respiratory and skin irritation. Ingestion may cause gastrointestinal distress including nausea, persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Effects on the vascular system and brain include headaches and lethargy, but are less frequent.

First Aid:

Eye Contact:Flush eyes with gently flowing water for at least 30 minutes or until the chemical is removed, while holding the eyelid(s) open. Take care not to rinse the contaminated water into the unaffected eye or face. Seek immediate medical

attention.

Skin Contact:Wash with soap and water.

Inhalation:Remove person to fresh air. If not breathing, given artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, get immediate

medical attention.

Ingestion:Do NOT induce vomiting. Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious or convulsing person. Seek

immediate medical attention. If vomiting occurs spontaneously, keep head below hips to prevent aspiration of liquid into the lungs

Borax Crystals

The most general way to grow a crystal includes forming a supersaturated solution by heating up water and adding in the crystal medium. This is an example of creating a supersaturated Borax solution.

General Procedure

The following is the procedure that I followed:

1. Obtain Borax Detergent, a 250 mL beaker, a stirplate/hotplate, and a stirbar.
2. Begin heating up the water on the hotplate and add the stirbar.
3. Once hot, begin adding the Borax Detergent (It will take some time for it to dissolve, but it eventually will).
4. Keep adding until the Borax will no longer dissolve
5. Use pipe cleaners to create a shape in which you want the crystals to form on
6. tie a string to the pipe cleaner to a wooden skewer or some object that can drape across the diameter of the beaker
7. dip the pipe cleaner into the supersaturated solution several times to release air bubbles
8. suspend the pipe cleaner in the beaker so it is completely submerged but doesn't touch the bottom or sides
9. Cover the finished solution with something(a watchglass or paper) and let it sit overnight.

Eamples

Video"How to Make Giant Borax Crystals"[3]

Website "Giant Borax Crystals"[4]"DIY Borax Crystals"[5]

Possible Alterations

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 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:

1. prepare the supersaturated Borax solution as stated in the original directions
2. shape the clay or polymer into the shape you want
3. bake the base so it can harden
4. use glue or modgepodge to coat the inside of the base
5. sprinkle Borax powder on the glue to give a thick coat
6. submerge the base in the saturated solution and let it sit overnight