Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Mood Stone

Mood Stone

     Do you remember those mood rings, from the 70's....boy that can date a person.  Do you wonder what makes them work.  Quick chemistry lesson.   Don't complain, we haven't had one for a while and there is NO TEST!!

      The chemical is cholesteryl benzoate, a thermotropic liquid crystal.  This molecule is a long, chunky chain, that twist when the temperature changes.  As the the chain twist, the light hitting it, reflects at different wavelengths, giving off different colors.

 Cholesteryl benzoate Structure   Isn't she a beauty!! 

     Ok...enough dorkiness!!

     The current mood stones change from blue to purple to pink to green to yellow.

     Here is my latest design, using a mood stone.  The pendent is
1 1/4" X 2 ", tatted with two strands of metallic sewing thread.











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