Italian Crystal For Only €50

“Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing.” ~Wernher Von Braun

Honestly, I do not even know where to begin.  This trip abroad is without a doubt one of the most amazing experiences of my life- and I’m not only speaking to the countless slices of delicious pizza and glasses of red wine, but also to its’ educational aspects.  Within the past week, we visited the IsVea Laboratories, the ColleVilca Glass Factory, and were welcomed to the University of Siena with a poster session of current research.   All of the above has proved to me that Chemistry can be both fun and beneficial, who knew?

I think the most fascinating part of this program is seeing the progression of science in a country whose history is so well versed with the subject.  Take for instance the production of glass.  Common history, or folklore, states that it was discovered when Phoenician sailors landed on a beach and being hungry, decided to heat some food on top of blocks of Natron (essentially a mixture of baking soda and sand).  As they prepared their meal, the sand beneath the fire melted and a liquid stream emerged, later hardening to form what we now know as glass.  And herein was the beginning of the experimentation.  

The raw materials for glass are extremely simple, yet they come together to form a brilliant amorphous solid that serves multiple purposes.  There are three main ingredients of crystal, as we learned, from our tour at ColleVilca- sand, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), and lead oxide. Each adds something different to the mixture.  The sand composed of silica, as was discovered in the Phoenician fable, can change into glass with intense heat while the baking soda lowers the melting temperature of the sand.  Limestone can also be added to make the glass stronger and more durable.  The amount of lead oxide added can be changed, serving as the independent variable, to alter the properties of the glass.  For full lead crystal, the mixture needs to have at least a 24% lead oxide concentration.  From my understanding, lead oxide makes the glass softer, which allows it to be cut and shaped more easily and it also increases the glass’ ability to refract light. 

As Dan Brown (the author of Angels and Demons) states, “…Modern miracles belong to science.”  And I have to agree.  Every “wonder” in the world has within it a scientific counterpoint and when discovered it allows us to learn more about “what makes the world go ‘round.”  I will never look at crystal figurines the same as I now have a new appreciation for what makes it so brilliant- the delicate balance between Science and art.