Does anybody have any information regarding growth of calcite crystals? I want to grow a clear calcite crystal and observe birefringence through it
(as seen with the calcite crystal here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birefringence).
I haven't found any good information on growing such a crystal, as all the information for growing calcium carbonate crystals relates to growing
aragonite, which is beautiful, but not what I am after.
Thanks for any help or leads!Twospoons - 26-11-2019 at 20:00
Sodium nitrate is isostructural with calcite, birefringent and much easier to crystallise
In the paper that Twospoons linked to, they dissolved the calcium carbonate in ammonium nitrate, noting that the nitrate ion is isostructural, making
it a good solvent of calcium carbonate. That fascinates me.
I'm going to look into sodium nitrate crystallization now. I appreciate the redirection on that.rockyit98 - 27-11-2019 at 15:45
in nature they form from calcium bicarbonate.maybe you can dissolve CaCO3 in pressurized CO2 and slowly let gas out to make big crystals. Sivvy - 2-12-2019 at 11:26
Crystallizing them in pressurized CO2 definitely sounds like a fascinating project, but it is currently beyond my means.fusso - 2-12-2019 at 12:56
Try to grow a triglycine disulfate crystal. I got a three centimeter crystal easily, I just left the solution to evaporate at room temperature and
normal pressure. The birefringence was obviouse.
I found the crystal after holidays and there was a void in the crystal where it was on the bottom of the beaker, so lifting the growing crystal from
the bottom is probably a good idea.
Edit: oops, it was triglycine sulfate, not disulfate
