Professional paper

https://doi.org/10.15255/KUI.2015.041

Chemistry in Teaching
Prussian Blue as a Classroom Experiment

Petra Kalinovčić ; Braće Domany 6, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
Maja Raos Melis ; Croatian Association of Digital Artists, Sveti duh 22, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
Nenad Raos (ur.)

Abstract

This paper describes a classroom experiment aiming to prepare Prussian blue by the reaction of iron(III) chloride and potassium hexacyanoferrate(II) or, alternatively, ammonium iron(II) sulphate and potassium hexacyanoferrate(III) in Petri dishes. The unusual crystal structure of Prussian blue, i.e. iron(III) hexacyanoferrate(II), is discussed along with the short explanation of the origin of its colour, by the charge transfer via cyanide ions. There is also a short history of its discovery (H. Diesbach, 1704), as well as its role in art history (Van der Werff, Watteau, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Hokusai).

Keywords

chemistry education; pigments; history of chemistry; art history

Hrčak ID:

148526

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/148526

Publication date:

20.11.2015.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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