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Chemistry In Pictures

Chemistry in Pictures: DIY chemistree ornaments

by Manny I. Fox Morone
December 4, 2020

 

A glass ornament with a gray solution inside it held in a blue gloved hand.
Credit: Jon Grimm
A round reflective silver ornament hanging from a white artificial pine tree branch.
Credit: Jon Grimm

Last year, chemists at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus decided to bring some holiday cheer to their colleagues and let them make their own silver ornaments. Janelia’s Head of Molecular Tools and Imaging Luke Lavis gave Janelia researchers clear glass ornaments loaded with Tollens’ reagent, a silver complex created by mixing silver nitrate, potassium hydroxide, and ammonia. Tollens’ reagent takes part in a striking reaction with aldehydes that coats the inside of its container with a thin layer of silver metal. So after the Janelia researchers added glucose to the solution of Tollens’ reagent and shook the mixture, the result was these mirrored ornaments.

A box of about 20 round, reflective, silver holiday ornaments arranged in rows.
Credit: Jon Grimm

Submitted by Jon Grimm

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