Diskalopsia, Chapter 1: The Bedazzling Bismuth metal

Hello chemistry fam! I'm very thankful that you came across this post which is the beginning of the series, "Diskalopsia". Today, we shall take a look at our first nominee/participant, none other than the bright and beautiful Bismuth metal. To the ones who have already come across the metal, I'd bet that you certainly wanted to have one as a collection, jewelry or an artifact. Well, don't be ashamed for even I wanted one after taking a look at its color. The most attractive things about Bismuth include its color and shape. A wise smelter could easily bring out Bismuth from its ores, Bismuthinite and Bismite into pure metal ingots (shown below) that naturally look like any other lustrous metal.

(99% pure Bismuth ingot, image source from Indiamart)

    It might not seem very different from other metals, but the catch here lies when one tries to melt these ingots and recrystallize them. You see, when we melt any ordinary metal and recrystallize it, it is made devoid from any impurity and is usually the basic purification method employed for metals that melt at different temperatures from their impurites (Other forms of metal refining methods like the MacArthur-Forest cyanide process, Mond's process, van Arkel-de-Boer process etc also are used. Comment down below if you need further reference on these refining methods). The recrystallized metal usually retains its color, shape (lattice arrangement), and other basic properties, but in the case of Bismuth, it is completely different. A simple word of "transformation" is an understatement here. Bismuth in fact takes a reincarnation, a dramatic metamorphosis in its physical structure and color, to look somewhat like the picture down below.

Source: wallpaperflare.com

    Now isn't that marvelous! How can a simple shiny looking white metal suddenly turn into a spectrum of colors with highly defined polygonal maze-like structures? Now do you agree with me terming this as a metamorphosis/incarnation? You certainly must have come up with greater words than that I believe. Anyway, doesn't it wonder you on how this could be possible? If you're thinking that this is the behaviour of a radioactive nature, then I must point out that you're wrong (but not entirely). Bismuth was initially ruled out as non-radioactive, but studies said otherwise. So, how do they let companies manufacture jewelry out of them? Will it not be dangerous to the consumer? The truth is, the theoretically discovered half-life of Bismuth was found out to be more than 20 quintillion years! And possibly every atom of Bismuth that you see had been created long before Planet Earth had ever formed! 

    If you came up with something like Fluorescence or Phosphorescence, you're not completely wrong either. Cutting down to the chase, the real reason why Bismuth crystallizes like a never-ending four-dimensional staircase coated with what appears to be a spectrum of colors, lies in the way it recrystallizes and an itty-bitty thing to do with light falling upon it. Bismuth is one of the elements that strangely possesses a higher density in its liquid form than its solid form. It also has a very low melting point making it suitable to even melt under a flame invoked by a kitchen stove. When you let liquid Bismuth cool down from its melting point, it does so in such a way that the edges of the solid forming expand faster and possess lighter density than the interior liquid undergoing condensation. This eventually leads to a higher growth rate on the edges, forming perfectly straight lines and thereby forming staircase like structures (keep in mind that these structures need not always form). The different hues of colours are mainly due to parts of the liquid forming various oxides that interfere with each other absorbing different wavelengths of lights and thus showcasing a vibrant range of chroma.

    There are several chemical aspects of Bismuth which makes it an indifferent metal from the others. However, its appearance, which is the first thing a person notices, is what is strikingly attractive. Bismuth has several pharmaceutical and metallurgical applications. It is labelled as the element with the longest half-life decay and is the point at which radioactivity is seen to commence on the periodic table. 

    So have you thought about buying your own Bismuth collectible yet? Or have you planned to smelt one of your own? Leave your thoughts about this fascinating metal on the comments section down below. If you are interested in learning more facts about Bismuth or its compounds, you're welcome to mail me at decadhya@gmail.com. If you're planning on buying and melting ingots, I warn you to take the necessary precautions and follow the right procedure while doing so. 

    To the ones who came up till here, I have some interesting news about my future in the field of Chemistry. Many of my fellow mates know that I had completed my Bachelor's but took a break to pursue my Masters later. I had originally joined a University not very far, i.e 350 kms from my home, but now I can proudly say that 350 km is indeed not very far compared to how long I will be moving next year. Yes, I'm moving abroad for my Masters. I've received an admission from one of the best International Universities in Germany, Ruhr University Bochum. Compared to several other Universities that precede Ruhr in rankings, I'm safe to say that Ruhr is the topmost when it comes to an English taught program and in the field of Chemistry. One close rival for Ruhr would be Freie Universitat of Berlin. Needless to say, I'll be sticking with Ruhr until I compromise with other ideas. For once in my life, I've decided to settle down and stop running towards the best ones and instead make the best out of what I've earned. I will be posting updates on the enrolling process, so make sure to tune in every week. That's all for today, I hope this post makes you vibrant like the Bismuth crystals. Good day!😉😉

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the images posted in this article. It is replicated for only recreational and educational purposes.