https://doi.org/10.15255/KUI.2015.041
Published: Kem. Ind. 64 (11-12) (2015) 645−648
Paper reference number: KUI-41/2015
Paper type: Professional paper / Chemistry in Teaching
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Prussian Blue as a Classroom Experiment

P. Kalinovčić and M. Raos Melis

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).

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Keywords

chemistry education, pigments, history of chemistry, art history