Difference between revisions of "Alum Crystal"

Revision as of 14:07, 24 April 2019

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[[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. “Alum” also known as aluminum potassium sulfate. Alum is a non-toxic compound but may cause eye irritation.

What are Crystals?

Crystals may be found in nature and are characterized as having an orderly, repetitive atomic arrangement. Recrystallization is a common technique used to purify substances.

Creating Alum Crystals

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

Pour hot water into a clean container
Slowly add alum, until saturated solution is created. Food coloring can be added at this stage.
Lightly cover saturated alum solution with paper towel to avoid contamination
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
Tie string around the largest “seed crystal”
Let the “seed crystal” hang in the saturated alum solution, without touching the bottom or sides of the container
Add more alum to the solution to maintain a saturated solution

Examples

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

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

Possible Alterations

Make it Glow

Different Base ^[2]

References

[1] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alum

[2] ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMfc2Z-LWBY

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 Alum is a small white crystal. A larger alum crystal structure can be created from the compound. General steps are listed below:
-#
+# Pour hot water into a clean container
+# Slowly add alum, until saturated solution is created. Food coloring can be added at this stage.
+# Lightly cover saturated alum solution with paper towel to avoid contamination
+# 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
+# Tie string around the largest “seed crystal”
+# Let the “seed crystal” hang in the saturated alum solution, without touching the bottom or sides of the container
+# Add more alum to the solution to maintain a saturated solution
 ===Examples===
@@ Line 26: / Line 34: @@
 ===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.
+'''Make it Glow'''
-'''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:
+'''Different Base <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMfc2Z-LWBY</ref>'''
-#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==