Crazy Crystals
Crazy Crystals
One of the best subjects to photograph during the winter especially at higher latitudes are crystals. I have been doing this a long time, but only recently found a way to get consistent flower-like crystals using amino-acids - B Alanine and Glutamine. Other substances like Menthol and Vitamin C produce amazing crystals and are easy to achieve. The solvent is important for success - start with deionized water, then try water\alcohol. Isopropyl, methanol and ethanol work well but are different! 95% ethanol can be purchased at a liquor store (called Clearview). The two main methods of producing crystals are: 1) place a solution on a microscope slide and allow it to dry, heating sometimes helps accelerate the process. The other is to melt the substance on the slide under a coverslip on a hot plate. Check the melting point before you do this using Google. Some substances don't melt - they just turn brown and burn. Also be careful some chemicals e.g. Benzoic acid can give off toxic fumes. If you are new to making crystals for viewing in polarized light - you might want to check out my article: https://www.canadiannaturephotographer. ... light.html
I will be posting a new article on my web site on flower like crystals in January and I will post a link along with some new pictures when the article is ready. For now I am just posting a few images I hope you enjoy. Chemicals like Menthol, Vitamin C and amino acids are easy to obtain and produce beautiful crystals. My photos were taken with a Motic BA310 polarizing microscope, a Canon 5D Mark III camera, Digicam control software (free) and processed in Photoshop. The chemicals were from a nutrition supplement store (Popeyes) and many chemicals are also available on Amazon. Images were taken with a 4X and 10X objective.
Hope you like the pictures.
I will be posting a new article on my web site on flower like crystals in January and I will post a link along with some new pictures when the article is ready. For now I am just posting a few images I hope you enjoy. Chemicals like Menthol, Vitamin C and amino acids are easy to obtain and produce beautiful crystals. My photos were taken with a Motic BA310 polarizing microscope, a Canon 5D Mark III camera, Digicam control software (free) and processed in Photoshop. The chemicals were from a nutrition supplement store (Popeyes) and many chemicals are also available on Amazon. Images were taken with a 4X and 10X objective.
Hope you like the pictures.
- Attachments
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- Vitamin C
- s180_VitC_DSC_0135_1024.jpg (231.39 KiB) Viewed 3312 times
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- Vitamin C panorama
- s180_VitC_Pan213_238trimed_1024.jpg (171.75 KiB) Viewed 3312 times
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- Alanine and Glutamine
- s181_AlaGlut_DSC_0631_1024.jpg (248.39 KiB) Viewed 3312 times
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- Alanine and Glutamine
- s181_Ala_Glu_DSC_0249-1024.jpg (261.07 KiB) Viewed 3312 times
- Microworld Steve
- Posts: 136
- Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 5:34 pm
- Location: Western Kentucky
Re: Crazy Crystals
Those would make awesome posters.
If I can't see it with my microscope, it ain't worth looking at.
Re: Crazy Crystals
Or a replacement for tie-dyed t-shirts back in the Woodstock and Summer of Love days.
Great images, Rob. Thanks.
Re: Crazy Crystals
I love these - and thank you for the information on how to attempt it myself!
Re: Crazy Crystals
Beautiful images
... I particularly like the wide-field Alanine-Glutamine
MichaelG.
... I particularly like the wide-field Alanine-Glutamine
MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'
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- Posts: 7
- Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2020 2:21 pm
Re: Crazy Crystals
This is one of the things that has kept me sane during lockdown and inspired, impart, by you Rob. Mind you almost drove me insane trying to get the sharpness in photos that I was seeing through the microscope. Not there yet but perhaps I'm expecting too much but it is fun trying
I find using tartaric acid is giving some great patterns and once it absorbs water and returns to liquid, back onto the radiator and new patterns emerge. Hours pass by so quickly!!!
I find using tartaric acid is giving some great patterns and once it absorbs water and returns to liquid, back onto the radiator and new patterns emerge. Hours pass by so quickly!!!
Re: Crazy Crystals
Your photos are wonderful. Some of us amateurs enjoy working with crystals, too. I'm a member of the
Crystal Art Photomicrography group on FaceBook. Some members post remarkable pictures. It's fun to see what will show up.
Crystal Art Photomicrography group on FaceBook. Some members post remarkable pictures. It's fun to see what will show up.