Quartz.

[Kermit]

Is there any way to make the crystals at home, or do they need extreme pressure and heat?

Also, what exactly is piezoelectricity?

[RyanJ]

Is there any way to make the crystals at home' date=' or do they need extreme pressure and heat?

Also, what exactly is piezoelectricity?[/quote']

 

No, due to the sact that Silicon reacts so slowly at standard pressure and temperature you'll probably not be able to make any at home.

 

Piezoelectricity is when certain crystals generate a small voltage when stress is applied to them.

 

You can read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piezoelectricity

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[YT2095]

interesting question, I`ve also pondered this one on occasion myself, going down the Sodium Silicate route (silica gel, the stuff used to keep things dry).

perhaps finding a way to rip off the sodium ion, or maybe the combustion of Silane gas.

my search/quest was for elemental Silicon, but actualy making the dioxide instead would be equaly interesting

[RyanJ]

interesting question' date=' I`ve also pondered this one on occasion myself, going down the Sodium Silicate route (silica gel, the stuff used to keep things dry).

perhaps finding a way to rip off the sodium ion, or maybe the combustion of Silane gas.

my search/quest was for elemental Silicon, but actualy making the dioxide instead would be equaly interesting [/quote']

 

 

Maybe a displacement reaction witha lower metal oxide would work?

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[jdurg]

interesting question' date=' I`ve also pondered this one on occasion myself, going down the Sodium Silicate route (silica gel, the stuff used to keep things dry).

perhaps finding a way to rip off the sodium ion, or maybe the combustion of Silane gas.

my search/quest was for elemental Silicon, but actualy making the dioxide instead would be equaly interesting [/quote']

 

 

I too have been looking for a way to produce elemental silicon as when initially made, the silicon is the amorphous allotrope which is the version I do not have. (Upon melting, it forms the crystal structure which is what I do have). The problem is that making elemental silicon is not really something you can do in your own home.

[woelen]

That's interesting. I only thought there was a single crystalline allotrope. The crystalline piece I have is a very nice sample, but I also have some very fine black powder, which I did not bother about putting on my website.

 

This powder was sold to me as high-purity silicon (99.999%) to be used for chemical experiments and as a solid state reductor. It fairly easily dissolves in NaOH-solution, giving hydrogen gas and a colorless solution. Is that stuff the amorphous form?

[jdurg]

Amorphous silicon is a dirt-brown color. What you probably have is crystalline silicon in a powdered form.

[YT2095]

the lines I was thinking along were that of my Boron extraction, from boric acid.

except in this case (with sodium silicate aka silica gel) the equive would be sodium borate or Borax as it`s sometimes known.

Ryans idea of a displacement is interesting as I had to use a thermit reaction to obtain my Boron element.

 

it`s ceratinly a challenging project!

[Daecon]

Is there any way to tell the difference between quartz crystal and a piece of shaped glass?

[RyanJ]

Is there any way to tell the difference between quartz crystal and a piece of shaped glass?

 

Yes, there is. A true quartz crystal can scratch glass but glass can't scratch quartz

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[Kermit]

Thanks, everyone.

 

Darn, I can't make quartz at home, then.. but would there be any crystals makeable at home that would at least resemble quartz in appearance? It's pretty.

[YT2095]

Sodium Nitrate is also a clear hexagonal crystal, there are others, but you may have difficulty in obtaining them.

[jdurg]

Sodium Nitrate is also a clear hexagonal crystal, there are others, but you may have difficulty in obtaining them.

 

Yeah, but if you go and pour yourself a drink in your sodium nitrate crystal cup, you'll have a problem. NaNO3 is VERY soluble in water. Silicon Fluoride is very NOT soluble in water.

[YT2095]

I agree entirely but that wasn`t the question, it was:

would there be any crystals makeable at home that would at least resemble quartz in appearance?

 

and so, NaNO3 is quite readily available AND a clear Hexagonal Crystal.

where is he likely to get Silicon Fluoride from and grow that at home, and is it hexagonal like Quartz is? (I have no date on it`s crystaline structure here).

 

erm... just looked up Silicon Fuoride, that`s not even a Solid at SRTP, so my NaNO3 would hold the water for alot longer than a Gas would

[RyanJ]

And is it hexagonal like Quartz is? (I have no date on it`s crystaline structure here).

 

I can answer this one for you, no its not its structure is cubic.

 

Thanks to the CRC book once again

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[rthmjohn]

If you can't make quartz then can you buy it? I mean, can you buy it at any local store? I need some for grinding media.

[RyanJ]

If you can't make quartz then can you buy it? I mean, can you buy it at any local store? I need some for grinding media.

 

Sand is basically Quartz, it can be bought easily over the internet from mineral collectors, I have a huge 1Kg lump of it here which I got from E-bay at a bargin price.

 

Not shure about local suppliers though but remember sand is just about all Silicon(IV) Oxide, AKA Quartz

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[jdurg]

I agree entirely but that wasn`t the question' date=' it was:

 

 

and so, NaNO3 is quite readily available AND a clear Hexagonal Crystal.

where is he likely to get Silicon Fluoride from and grow that at home, and is it hexagonal like Quartz is? (I have no date on it`s crystaline structure here).

 

erm... just looked up Silicon Fuoride, that`s not even a Solid at SRTP, so my NaNO3 would hold the water for alot longer than a Gas would [/quote']

 

 

My bad. I had silicon fluoride and oxide confused. (My intention was to give the chemical formula for Quartz in my reply. Sadly, utter lack of sleep and concerns over the impending snow-storm scheduled to hit when I'm supposed to taking off in a jet-liner has my brain a bit fuzzy).