An apparatus for crystal growth in the undergraduate laboratory

Abstract

A modification of Stober's apparatus is presented for growing crystals in a laboratory chamber furnace. In addition to simplicity, the proposed apparatus has the following advantages: (a) absence of mechanical shocks; (b) spontaneous change and self-adjusting to most convenient crystallisation rate of the substance; (c) possibility of growing crystals in vacuum or an inert atmosphere. A formula for the crystallisation rate has been derived and analysed.