Make Rad Looking Borax Crystals In 8 Simple Steps

Growing Borax crystals is a fun DIY experiment that you can do easily and cheaply at home! These crystals can be grown in a rocky shape or in multiple colors, making them great for mineral displays.

Materials Needed To Make The Crystals

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Boiling water

Borax

Pipe cleaners

Thread

Sticks or pencils to hang pipe cleaners from

Large heat-safe glass measuring cup for making the Borax solution

Scissors

You need to take these two things in consideration for big and rigid crystals

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• A structure or armature on which the crystals grow
  
• Controlling the cooling rate of the crystal growing solution
  

1. Make A Structure To Be The Armature Of The Crystal

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For a rock form, you can simply twist several pipe cleaners end-to-end and crumple them up into a rock shape. Neatness really doesn't count because you're going to coat the entire mess with crystals.

2. Take A Beaker To Make A Saturated Solution Of Borax

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Find a container slightly larger than the pipe cleaner structure. You want to be able to set the shape in the container, without having it touch the sides.

3. Boil The Water To Make The Saturated Solution

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Boil enough water to fill the container enough that it would cover your pipecleaner form. Stir in borax until it stops dissolving.

4. Put Food Colouring Of Your Choice

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Add food coloring. The crystals will be lighter than the solution, so don't worry if it seems deeply colored.

5. Place the Shape Carefully In the Solution

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Place the pipe cleaner shape in the solution. You may need to shake it around a bit to dislodge air bubbles to make sure it won't float.

6. Let It Cool At Its Own Pace

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You want the solution to cool slowly in order to get the largest crystals. Cover the container with a towel or plate. You can wrap it in a hot towel or place it in a warm location.

7. After Few Hours Remove The Crystalline Structure From The Solution

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At this point, use a spoon to dislodge the shape from the bottom of the container. Let the crystals grow several more hours or overnight.

8. Coat It With Wax Or Clear Nail Polish To Preserve

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If you want to preserve the crystals to display them, you can coat them with floor wax or nail polish.

The Borax Crystals is a good DIY project, besides it also teaches some basic science about saturation and crystallization. So, have fun with your crystals, Backyard Scientists!