Polarized Paracetamol, what else...

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NicoVB
Posts: 146
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 11:53 am
Location: Belgium

Polarized Paracetamol, what else...

Post by NicoVB »

Like all beginners, some polarized crystallised paracetamol to start with.
Hope you like it.
With Oly 10x PlanApo 0.32, simple polarization

Image
When you make the most fantastic discovery, a lot of people want a piece of it...

NicoVB
Posts: 146
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 11:53 am
Location: Belgium

Post by NicoVB »

And the same in DIC:

Image

Maybe i should have rotated the slider a bit more to have more depth.
When you make the most fantastic discovery, a lot of people want a piece of it...

banania
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 9:01 am

Post by banania »

Nice images. How did you prepare the paracetamol tablets? I just photographed tartaric acid yesterday (water soluble). Crystal structures looked very similar to yours.

Henri

NicoVB
Posts: 146
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 11:53 am
Location: Belgium

Post by NicoVB »

Since i did not want to wait on a water-based mixture to evaporate, i used a mixture with ether and alcohol (or ethanol).
Nothing fancy, just what you use to clean objectives/oculars is fine.
Put it under the scope and see the crystals grow because the alcohol evaporates very quick.
You need to experiment a bit with the amount of paracetamol you mix, that's all.
When you make the most fantastic discovery, a lot of people want a piece of it...

banania
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 9:01 am

Post by banania »

Thanks, I am trying your method right now... but using some antiseptics as I don't have any ether.

Henri

NicoVB
Posts: 146
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 11:53 am
Location: Belgium

Post by NicoVB »

Best use alcohols or mixtures as clean as possible, 30% ether and 70% ethylene work very good because they evaporate very quick and have no other additions.
Normal antiseptic usually do.
Mixture is also super to remove oily residue like from eyelashes or skin on oculars.

Just go to your local drugstore/pharmacy and ask to make a mixture of them.
It'll cost only a few euro for a 100ml bottle with integrated pipette.

There is a strange law here in Belgium, that when you ask 100% alcohol, you need to pay extra taxes, because that alcohol can be used for commercial purpose (drinking).
When ether is added, you don't need to pay the taxes, because you can't consume it anymore.
When you make the most fantastic discovery, a lot of people want a piece of it...

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