Growing crystals - there is such a passion

The crystals involuntarily cause them to stop their eyes on them. The strict form and play of light on the faces will not leave anyone indifferent. Since ancient times, precious stones have been one of the symbols of wealth and prosperity. At that time, they were mostly used in jewelry. However, now only a small part of precious stones go to jewelry, while industry takes a large part. And industry does not require natural, but artificial samples, as growing crystals has long become a separate specialization.

A similar state of affairs, when precious stones were rare, did not suit inquisitive minds, and repeated attempts were made to grow such stones themselves. True, it was not such a mass phenomenon as the attempts of alchemists to convert metal into gold, but they were. The main development of the idea that the growing of crystals can be produced artificially, was after the discovery of the structure of matter and the appearance of a significant demand for industry in crystals. The main consumers were the semiconductor industry, oil and gas, and many others.

To date, the following methods of growing crystals have been known and are used:

- from the melt;

- from the solution;

- from the vapor phase;

- from the solid phase.

It is not interesting to describe the procedure by which crystals are grown for the needs of industry. It would be more accurate to say that it is not interesting from the point of view of independent repetition and cultivation of precious stones. Suffice it to say that when grown in industrial conditions high temperatures, high pressures, and rare materials are used. The technology of carrying out the work is quite complex and requires the observance of increased purity and production culture.

However, such a curious process could not go unnoticed by amateurs, as a result of which there appeared, it is possible to say, a hobby - getting crystals at home. And this does not require any special equipment and equipment, you can do with simple improvised tools available in every kitchen. Of course, if you are growing crystals of copper vitriol, then you must comply with safety requirements without fail.

However, if you want to get crystals of salt or sugar, then the working conditions will be much softer. It does not require high temperatures and pressures, very different laws are used. At home, you usually use several simple methods. Cooling of a saturated solution is one of them. At elevated temperatures, for example, salt dissolves in water. Then the water begins to cool, as the solubility in the water of the substances falls, and the embryos of the future crystals begin to appear.

When cooling is slow, and there are no artificial crystallization centers in the solution, new nuclei are formed little, and after a while they become large structures of regular shape. If cooling occurs quickly, then a lot of embryos arise, as a consequence - small crystals.

Growth of crystals can also be carried out in a different way - by removing water from a saturated solution. With this approach, the slower the liquid will be removed from the solution, the better the result will be. The procedure is quite simple - a ready saturated solution should be covered with a sheet of paper (so as not to get dust) and leave to evaporate. To increase the duration of the process, you can periodically add fresh solution.

In general, we can conclude that the growth of crystals is quite possible to conduct and at home. Of course, these will not be sapphires and rubies, but crystals of salt and copper sulfate, but the process itself will not become less interesting.