Growing ruby ​​crystals and other artificial stones at home. Homemade diamonds

By their own physical properties and by chemical composition synthetically produced gemstones are virtually indistinguishable from natural ones. Not all products sold in jewelry stores contain natural stones. And this is quite normal. Consider how to open your own ruby ​​crystal growing business at home.

The main problem is that most natural stones do not have all the necessary characteristics to show off in jewelry. Stones obtained in the factory or laboratory have almost the same characteristics. In addition, the synthetic production of jewelry is cheaper than the extraction of natural in deep and life-threatening mines.

Growing with limited salts

Potassium alum is suitable for this method. At home, it is best to grow crystals from copper sulfate. They do not grow well from ordinary salt. But copper sulfate is easy to buy, and very beautiful blue artificial gems grow from it.

1. We prepare the container. We will make a saturated salt solution in it. Pour a few tablespoons of salt, pour it with water and stir. Add salt until it no longer dissolves. Use hot water so as not to make a mistake with the proportions. There are solubility curves for different salts. They show how many grams can be dissolved in 100 ml of water at a certain temperature.

Solubility Curves

2. Filter the solution. This step is very important, especially if you are buying blue vitriol from a gardening store. If the solution is dirty, the crystal will grow with defects. We leave the solution for a day so that excess crystals fall out of it. They settle at the bottom of the glass and serve as a seed for us (the main elements on which new ones will grow).

3. We tie the crystal to the fishing line. We wrap the fishing line on a pencil and hang this device on a glass with a saturated solution. Over time, the water evaporates, the saturation of the solution increases. An excess of a substance that cannot dissolve settles on our product.

4. Once every two weeks, add a saturated solution to the glass. Why do it? Over time, the water evaporates and at some point in the growth it will not be enough and the growth will stop.

Important! The solution added should be the same temperature as the solution where the crystal grows. If it is the highest, we can ruin everything.

5. After three months, we take out the crystal and dry it with a towel.

6. We cover the product with 1-2 layers colorless varnish for nails. This is necessary so that it does not dry out and does not lose its luster. After drying, the product can be taken by hand.

Here are some wonderful rubies you can grow at home!

Diamond is a natural mineral of extraordinary hardness, an allotrope of carbon. Natural diamonds are of great value in the gemstone market. Diamond dust is used for the production of various household tools, for sawing hard rocks, in the galaxy, military and computer industries.

Known deposits of diamond crystals are located on all continents of the globe, not counting Antarctica. The age of natural minerals ranges from several hundred million to several billion years. Their origin can be of magmatic, mantle or meteoritic nature. Most scientists tend to igneous. The essence of the theory is that carbon under enormous pressure of 10 thousand atmospheres and a temperature of about 1000 degrees changes its crystal lattice and transforms into diamond at a depth of about 200 km. Then it is taken out by magma closer to the surface of the earth.

Since the end of the 19th century, the first attempts to create artificial diamonds have been made. But they were all in vain. But, thanks to these studies, one feature of the diamond was revealed - when heated, it transforms into graphite. Graphite was later confirmed to be a modified form of diamond. And an assumption was made about the ability of the reverse process, i.e., the transformation of graphite into diamond by an artificial method. As a result research work moussanite was obtained - a stone close in its properties of hardness and thermal conductivity to diamond.

In 1961, a group of Russian scientists succeeded in synthesizing diamond, but these were very small crystals that were suitable for abrasives, but had no value in jewelry. For their production, the energy of the explosion was used, and TNT was and remains the cheapest raw material for this. This method of obtaining small diamonds is still used in the world.More modern method obtaining synthetic diamond - the creation of a criterion (press) under which graphite runs into diamond, and then rather slowly deposited on the substrate, the temperature of the gas medium ranges from 700 to 900 ° C.

All this requires colossal energy costs, special equipment, furnaces, in which it is possible to achieve a suitable temperature and pressure. Such installations are available at enterprises producing synthetic diamonds. Therefore, contrary to popular belief, it is unrealistic to grow a diamond at home. If it were that simple, the gemstone market would explode with the wealth of diamonds grown in kitchen ovens. A diamond is a specially crafted, cut diamond. Specifically, it is of jewelry value, rough diamonds are quite inexpensive.

On various forums, you can come across a number of "tips" for growing diamonds at home, which the average person will not follow adequately. For example, it is proposed to pour graphite into the pipe, “fill” with TNT, weld the pipe, step back and blow it up. Maybe with this method you can get something, for example, injuries or a prison term, but you definitely won’t see diamonds.

I have already published three of my ideas on this site (Stained glass window, Making mosaic panels and tables, Growing mosaic panels in an incubator). A new idea that I called "Growing ruby ​​crystals at home" was born similar to the idea of ​​1404 in the process of psychological counseling using the development techniques I use. creative thinking. It was thanks to these techniques that I was born in collaboration with my other now business partner this new idea. I will not go into detail about what problems a young man named Alexander came to me with (now it does not matter), but the result of our joint work was the birth of this home business idea.

At the beginning, I came across information that, it turns out, almost all the gems that are sold as part of jewelry in our typical jewelry stores are of artificial origin! This does not mean that we are being deceived.

Synthetic gemstones are virtually indistinguishable from natural stones in their chemical composition and physical properties. The whole problem. It turns out that among natural gems, not all of them have sufficient purity and other gem qualities to be honored to be presented in jewelry stores, and in laboratory or factory production, the technological process can be debugged to such an extent that all crystals grown in the laboratory will have almost the same jewelry characteristics.

And in production, they are much cheaper than their "colleagues" of the same quality, mined in deep and life-threatening working mines. In addition, deposits of certain minerals are not scattered in abundance evenly over the entire globe, but are concentrated, as a rule, in a few places.

Further thought flowed by analogy with stained-glass windows and mosaics. If on the Internet I came across offers for these services from large reputable companies with solid production facilities and cash flow, then I asked myself the question - why can't you make small stained-glass windows (inserts in interior doors, wall lamps, etc.) literally on your desk?

I studied the technology, puzzled over how it can be simplified for home use, conducted a certain number of experiments - and got the result!

Similarly, Alexander and I began to creatively rework the idea of ​​growing gemstone crystals at home. Studied (introductory level) different ways, and settled on the method of the French scientist Auguste Verneuil, who created more than 100 years ago an original technique and equipment that made it possible to grow ruby ​​crystals weighing 20-30 carats in 2-3 hours. This was an outstanding achievement of science and technology, not only because it made it possible to artificially produce such a valuable material in the required quantities, but also because it opened up prospects for the synthesis and growth of crystals of other precious stones.

The success of O. Verneuil was preceded by almost half a century of research on the synthesis of ruby.

The simplicity and reliability of the Verneuil method led to the rapid organization of the industrial production of these crystals, first in France, and later in almost all highly developed countries of the world.

The first figure shows the very principle of the Verneuil method (isn't it - everything looks quite simple!), And the second picture shows the Verneuil apparatus.

Verneuil apparatus for growing ruby ​​crystals at home

It looks quite complicated, even at first it inspires some fear - they say, I would never do such a thing! But these are false fears. After all, it should be remembered once again that the inventor created his technology more than 100 years ago!

Naturally, he did not have at his disposal those electrical and mechanical "tricks" that are available to anyone. home master currently!

It was on this problem - how to simplify the Verneuil apparatus through the use of modern electrical components and mechanisms of wide availability and create a "kitchen" version of the apparatus - that we began to work.

And we succeeded!

Using the Verneuil method, you can grow crystals not only of ruby, but also of blue, white (transparent) and yellow topaz (as well as other shades as desired).

I am publishing a detailed description of the “kitchen” option (with the consent of Alexander) as the main generator of the idea and I am not at all afraid of competition from those enthusiasts who decide to follow this idea. The reason is very simple: at present, artificial precious crystals are grown in many countries of the world, but as soon as you go to a jewelry store, it will immediately become obvious that prices are still “biting”. And the saturation of the market, apparently, is still very, very far away. And even if after reading this information there are several thousand enthusiasts, then with our “home” production, we all cannot make any special “weather” in this market segment. Therefore, the results of our research can be published without fear of anything. On the contrary, if something like the “Association of Home Crystal Growers” ​​appears on the network :-), then it will be even more interesting and useful for everyone, since, as you know, two heads are good, and two thousand - one can confidently assume - much better. And some of these heads may turn out to be much lighter, and their ideas will help everyone who is interested to further simplify and improve the device, and turn it from a “kitchen”, for example, into a “bedside table” :-).

Now a few words about the economic efficiency of the project. To grow a ruby ​​crystal weighing 20-30 carats (4-6 grams!), it will take 3 hours and about 3 kWh of electricity. Calculate how much it costs in your area. Think. that the figure will be less than 10 rubles. The cost of 6 grams of aluminum oxide powder and 0.2 grams of chromium oxide generally cannot cost more than 50 kopecks.

So if you, dear reader, offer even an uncut ruby ​​crystal to an interested jeweler, then you don't need to have a Soros head to understand that the profit from the transaction will be very solid. Well, if one of the handmade men makes his wife or girlfriend happy with rubies and topazes, then the psychological dividends from such “investments” cannot be calculated at all! :-).

A few more words about the legal legality of such proceedings. Of course, we still have to thoroughly consult with lawyers, but in the law of the Russian Federation I reviewed “ON PRECIOUS METALS AND PRECIOUS STONES” ( last change dated 18.07.2005 N 90-FZ) it is stated very specifically that the object of regulation of this law are “precious stones - natural diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires and alexandrites, as well as natural pearls in raw (natural) and processed form. Unique amber formations are equated to precious stones in the manner established by the Government Russian Federation. This list of gemstones can only be changed by federal law.”. Specially singled out the word - "natural". Nothing is said about synthetics.

So grow ruby ​​crystals at home calmly.

People have been thinking about how to make a diamond for decades. And all because the cultivation of these stones will not only enrich the creator of the technique, but also make them more accessible. There is an opinion that it is realistic to get a diamond from graphite or coal, since they are all made of carbon. After reading the article, you will be able to figure out how real this statement is, what is the difference between the mentioned minerals and whether it is possible to get a jewel without leaving the apartment.

A short digression into the properties of rocks

Until the 17th century, no one suspected the similarity of coal, diamond and graphite. They have never been side by side in nature. Moreover, scientists could not think about the transformation of one substance into another. Everything changed when the English chemist Tennant conducted his experiment and found out their true nature.

Visually, it was not possible to understand this, since the breeds are completely different. Graphite does not have strong bonds and consists of scales sliding over each other. Its primary use is as a lubricant to reduce friction between surfaces. Outwardly, it looks like molten metal.

The coal composition includes small particles of graphite, but is supplemented with a hydrocarbon compound, oxygen and nitrogen, which gives it a denser rather than a liquid-viscous form. Diamonds, in general, have one of the strongest compounds in nature. Outwardly, these are transparent stones, completely dissimilar to their "brothers".

Playing with rocks: turning one substance into another

As soon as scientists discovered the similarities between diamond, coal and graphite, they set out to learn how to turn one substance into another. The first experiments were successful.

It turned out that when heated precious stone» in airless space up to 1800 degrees, it completely turns into graphite. The same effect is obtained if an electric current is passed through coal heated to 3500 degrees. Having succeeded in these transformations, scientists set out to make an artificial diamond, and were stuck for almost 100 years.

The experiment, how to make a diamond out of coal, was successful only in 1880 and took place in 2 stages. First, graphite was obtained by electrolysis. Then, it was placed in a steel flask, closed at both ends and heated to red. Sometimes, the vessel could not withstand the pressure and exploded. But, if everything went smoothly, then when the pipe was opened, dark, but heavy-duty crystals were found inside.

Explosion theory: the first step towards the goal

In the natural environment, diamonds are formed at temperatures above 1600 degrees Celsius and a pressure of 60-100 thousand atmospheres. For all this, nature takes hundreds of thousands, and sometimes millions of years. Therefore, the cultivation of artificial diamonds would bring many areas to a new level.

Scientists have already learned how to create artificial diamonds, which takes only a few months. But, the transformation process requires expensive equipment and hard-to-find materials. You can try to get by with improvised means, but the probability of success is extremely small.

If you decide to create a diamond yourself, then you will need to lay a graphite rod and TNT in a thick pipe, and then weld its ends. After detonation of explosives, the necessary pressure and temperature are created inside the flask, as a result of which a high-strength crystal is formed. But, as calculations show, the probability of smashing the room and killing yourself is higher than getting a gem.

A safe way to get rich is a godsend for experimenters

There are many "legends" about how to grow a diamond at home. Isolate among them effective, and, most importantly, safe way is a difficult task. The option that will be discussed now is suitable for lovers of experiments, but you should not seriously expect to receive a gem.

Attention! The site administration is not responsible for the possible consequences of the experiment.

The instruction for work involves the preparation of the necessary components. These include:

• pencil;
• the wire;
• water or liquid nitrogen;
• high voltage source (welding machine).

To get an artificial diamond, remove the lead from the pencil. Can be purchased separately. Now, connect it to the wire and lower it into the container. The next step depends on what you are using. In the first option, the structure should be filled with water and frozen. In the second option, freezing occurs with the help of liquid nitrogen.

As soon as you get the right temperature, connect the wires to a voltage source and turn on the current. It is believed that after passing through the discharge lead, it transforms into a diamond.

Home experiment: getting crystals from salt

It is impossible to get a diamond without laboratory conditions. But, you can grow beautiful salt crystals with your own hands. For the experiment you will need:

• aqueous distillate;
• salt;
• strong thread;
• food coloring (for beauty).

Take a container and fill it with water. Pour salt into it until it stops dissolving. Cut the thread and attach a salt crystal to it. Place the structure in liquid and wait a few days. If you add food coloring, then the "pebbles" will turn out to be different shades.

Salt is not the only material suitable for such chemical transformations. You can use sugar or copper sulfate. Then, the crystals "grow" slightly different, but the technique remains the same. Happy experimenting.

Obtaining large crystals

Next, let's talk about how diamonds are made. large sizes at home. For the experiment, you will need all the same salt (100 gr.), Distillate (400 ml.) And lead (12 gr.). Take a glass and mix dry ingredients. Now, carefully fill them with water, wait for complete dissolution and leave the container for 24 hours.

The guide to creating fake diamonds starts with you draining the water from the glass (into another container, as it will come in handy later). At the bottom of the vessel, you will find crystals obtained from the reaction. Choose the most correct and large (seed), and put the rest in a container.

Growing large homemade diamonds is a long process that requires patience. But, as a result, you will get a beautiful multi-faceted stone that can be used to create jewelry or decor.

Take a strong thread and fasten it to a pencil or any stick. Attach a seed to the other end and dip it into the remaining solution. All you have to do is wait. As it evaporates, the water will build up on your crystal and make it bigger. If other pebbles form on the thread during the process, it is better to remove them.

To get diamonds at home, distillate is required. The fact is that for chemical reactions, the liquid must be free of impurities in order for the experiment to succeed. But, it is not always easy to find purified water. Then, you can create it yourself by boiling it on gas and driving it through a regular laboratory filter.

After boiling, the filter can be replaced with blotting paper, cotton, gauze or plain paper - a matter of ease of use. For the reaction to succeed, the water used must be warm, but not hot. As you grow diamonds, the solution gradually evaporates. Make sure that your crystal is not exposed to air - this will ruin it.

Growing ruby ​​crystals at home is available to everyone. The work does not require an equipped laboratory, the acquisition of theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of mineralogy, the purchase of special chemicals. Everything you need can be found in the kitchen.

It is advised to start growing rubies with small volumes. First, experience is gained, the whole process is understood, and then direct systematic work begins. synthetic creation own hands will not yield in beauty and attractiveness to natural minerals. Stones are in demand among jewelers, so a successful experience can bring additional income if you find a market.

There are several ways to grow. It is advised to try all the options, then stop at the one you like.

Artificial precious rocks created by man, in terms of chemical content and physical properties, are not from natural ones. The advantage of home technologies is that they allow you to create perfectly pure breeds. In nature, this happens very rarely. The jewelry qualities of laboratory specimens are quite good. Another plus of the mineral is the cost. The stones are cheaper than their originals, which originate in deep mines.

organic salts

It is easy to grow a ruby ​​crystal from various salts:

• copper sulphate;
• potassium alum;
• regular salt.

The longest salt-based process, the most beautiful samples are obtained from vitriol. The production of ruby ​​crystals is based on the following steps:

1. Tank preparation. It should keep salt and saturated water saline solution. Take hot water. The process is gradual. Dilute two tablespoons with water, mix thoroughly. Then salt is added and mixed. it is necessary to shower until the salt ceases to dissolve. To keep the proportions, they take a hint: a table of the solubility of different salts in 100 ml of water, their relationship with the temperature of the liquid.
2. Solution filtration. The solution must be clean. Dirt impurities will spoil the structure of the stone. It will show defects. The solution remains for 24 hours. During this period, crystals form at the bottom of the container. They will become the basis of the ruby.
3. The growth of an artificial mineral. A fishing line is tied to the stone formed at the bottom of the glass. It is wound on a pencil or wooden stick. The device is installed on the tank. The crystal is in solution, suspended. Water tends to evaporate, a saturated saline solution releases excess, which is fixed on the resulting sample.
4. Adding a salt solution. Water always needs a certain amount, if it becomes scarce, the crystal will stop growing. At normal room temperature, water is added once every 2 weeks.