Sivvy
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Grow Calcite Crystals and Birefringence
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!
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Twospoons
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https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jcersj1988/101/1169/101...
Not exactly simple.
Helicopter: "helico" -> spiral, "pter" -> with wings
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Sivvy
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What keywords and search engine did you use to find that paper?
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unionised
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Sodium nitrate is isostructural with calcite, birefringent and much easier to crystallise
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Twospoons
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I think I just used "calcite crystal growing hydrothermal". On google. There are a few papers out there, but mostly behind paywalls.
[Edited on 27-11-2019 by Twospoons]
Helicopter: "helico" -> spiral, "pter" -> with wings
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Sivvy
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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.
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rockyit98
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in nature they form from calcium bicarbonate.maybe you can dissolve CaCO3 in pressurized CO2 and slowly let gas out to make big crystals.
"A mind is a terrible thing to lose"-Meisner
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Sivvy
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Crystallizing them in pressurized CO2 definitely sounds like a fascinating project, but it is currently beyond my means.
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fusso
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https://en.crystalls.info/Sodium_nitrate
It has a photo demonstrating NaNO3's birefringence.
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Tsjerk
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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
[Edited on 3-12-2019 by Tsjerk]
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