[Jewelry making - Article 00147] - Re: [Orchid] Stones on Demand

[nick]

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    The process for making aerogel uses silicone liquids and what is
    called a sol gel process to make a rubbery solid which is then heated
    to 600 deg C to burn off the organic and watery parts. A sol gel is
    rather like non-drip paint inasmuch as it has a loose crystal
    structure bonded by water and adding a suitable reagent will set it
    into a proper solid with an opal type structure, which when fired
    shrinks and solidifies with a high porosity (up to 99%) When making
    molds for these blocks they have to be careful what they use as the
    molding compound can be reacted by the process so things like
    silicone rubber, certain plastics and any quartz based investment
    plaster are out. 

    In short, you cant use sand or bubbly volcanic rock for this.
    However, your local bubbly rock may be brilliant for use as a cement
    for radioactive waste or heavy metal waste containment so have a
    word with your local nuclear power station or industrial plating
    works!!!! Vapour deposition is favoured for making diamonds these
    days, along with a lot of other materials used for semiconductors and
    the like. Basically it gives better results and higher purity but if
    you want to make a diamond out of your favourite tree, then the high
    pressure bit is favoured as you can use any source of carbon. 

Nick
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