ALUM CRYSTALS ON SILK
##GENERAL INFORMATION
Alum crystals - that have triangular facets - grown on a silk substrate. The technique used here is called precipitation from a solution. Alum crystals are clear and faceted with great definition so they are often compared to diamonds. However these can get so big that it is not really credible that they are diamonds, but they play with light in similar ways.
Physical form
Surface treatment
Color without additives: transparent and translucent white. (Turns opaque after baking in the oven for 10 minutes at 100 degrees Celcius.)
Fabrication time
Preparation time: 1 Hour
Processing time: 1 day or overnight
Need attention: None. Leave in a warm place, don't move or touch it.
Final form achieved after: 1 day
Estimated cost (consumables)
2,00 Euros for a 400 ml saturated solution
##RECIPE
###Ingredients
-
Alum powder (also: potassium aluminium sulfate, potash alum, or - 125 g (plus some more just in case)
- we will try to reorganize these molecules into crystals.
-
Water - 400 ml/gr
- To dissolve the alum powder and reorganize into a crystal
-
Water - 1000 ml/g
- to create a bain marie
-
Silk - a 10x10cm swatch
- As a substrate for the alum crystals to attach to
###Tools
- Cooker or kettle
- A piece of silk
- A smooth glass jar or bowl big enough to fit your piece of silk without touching the sides or having to fold or crease it. Make sure this it totally clean.
- A wide heat-resistant bowl or oven pan this is the bain marie: the glass jar should fit inside this bowl and have some space for hot water
- Spoon
- A stick or chopsticks that are long enough to stay put on top of the glass jar.
- Clips to fasten the silk to the stick
###Yield
About 80-100% of the alum powder will attach itself the silk in the form of larger crystals.