Making lava lamp step by step (Blue lava)

[Tevfik Dogruman]

Today I prepared this work to guide the friends who want to make a lava lamp.

There is no basis for the amount of substances I use.

It is completely improvised.

First of all, I used the materials mentioned in the lava lamp. Paraffin, liquid paraffin, kerosene and PERC.

My main purpose is to show how the opacity after a while.

I started melting the paraffin mixture.

As the melting continued, I started making the coil from the resistance wire.

I added surfactant solution into the bottle and shaken it so that the wax would not stick.

As the paraffin mixture dissolves completely, I can add kerosene.

Oh my God. Phase has occurred. When mixed, it becomes cloudy and then phase again. No problem. I weighed the PERC and added it.

The triple mix is successful. Kerosene dissolved in "perc". The paraffin mixture also dissolved in "perc". In this way, they all dissolved into each other.

I'd like to dye the triple mix. I chose the color blue and added a small amount.

Then I heated the bottle I wetted with surfactant so that it would not crack. I filled the paraffin mixture into the bottle.

The melted paraffin mixture is transparent. When cool, it solidifies and looks opaque.

That's enough for today. In the morning, the liquid portion is prepared.

250 ml distilled water is filled into the bottle. SLES (surfactant) is added on it. I do not fill the entire bottle in case a mishap happens.

Heating has started. Here's the whole secret to opacity. Liquid paraffin becomes opaque by interacting with surfactant. We call this emulsion in chemistry. (Red Arrow) If this happens in the liquid part then clouding occurs.

A good source of information for emulsion: https://www.philadelphia.edu.jo/academics/yalthaher/uploads/Pharmac...

Lets,

Now PERC is less. Wax floats.

Wait for the wax to melt completely. Then it is necessary to add PERC. Even the coil couldn't fix the wax. (Orange arrow)

With the addition of PERC, the Wax was drooped down.

Slowly slowly approaching balance.

The heating is turned off, cooling is waited, and the wax starts to rupture. Because the density of the cooled wax increases and its volume decreases. (Red arrow)

Top liquid is completed with pure water. The temperature rise is monitored.

And happy ending.

[Ant Bee]

Super quality post.

The idea that surfactant reacting with the wax is what causes opacity is intriguing, I haven't heard that before.  So that makes me wonder what other surfactants other than SLS would do.

[Tevfik Dogruman]

It does the same, depending on the characteristics of surfactants.

Ant Bee said:

Super quality post.

The idea that surfactant reacting with the wax is what causes opacity is intriguing, I haven't heard that before.  So that makes me wonder what other surfactants other than SLS would do.

[Michael Barbieri]

I was able to use your formula and process to sucessfully make my first working lamp but I have some questions.  When I have to add more PERC to balance the lava, it just seems to drop right through my wax and land on the bottom.  Then I have to empty my bottle and remelt the wax to dissolve all the PERC.  Is there a trick to make it stay and mix with the wax on the top?  Also my wax ended up transparent with little blobs of solid inside.  How did you get yours to be all one color?

[Tevfik Dogruman]

Adding a small amount of PERC and waiting is necessary to balance the density. I generally add a maximum of 80 grams of PERC to 100 grams of wax. Then I balance the density with 85% Glycerin. SLES is used to provide movement and prevent it from sticking to the bottle. The stains may be from impurities. First prepare the wax mixture, rinse the bottle sles with water. Fill the wax into the bottle. Cool it, let it solidify. Add distilled water and a few ml of sles to the bottle. Start the lamp. Get warm. If necessary, balance the density with 85% glycerine drop by drop.

Michael Barbieri said:

I was able to use your formula and process to sucessfully make my first working lamp but I have some questions.  When I have to add more PERC to balance the lava, it just seems to drop right through my wax and land on the bottom.  Then I have to empty my bottle and remelt the wax to dissolve all the PERC.  Is there a trick to make it stay and mix with the wax on the top?  Also my wax ended up transparent with little blobs of solid inside.  How did you get yours to be all one color?

[Tevfik Dogruman]

It's like surfactant is causing the problem.

[Claude J]

Tevickm, have you found that (either SLS or SLES ) will cloud easier than the other one

[Tevfik Dogruman]

For surfactants, the cloud point is related to the % amount and temperature.

[Tevfik Dogruman]

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237224815_FIRP_BOOKLET_E20...

https://www.stepan.com/content/dam/stepan-dot-com/webdam/website-pr...

[Jsmooth]

Did you use an oil based dye for the blue coloring?

[Tevfik Dogruman]

I used an oil based dye for blue (Powder dye for candle or wax).

Jordan Reeder said:

Did you use an oil based dye for the blue coloring?

[Jsmooth]

I had great success with your procedure, wondering if using less liquid paraffin and more regular paraffin would cause “spiking” during the warming up phase. Mine just melts in a big blob and then bloops around like it should. 

[Tevfik Dogruman]

I use liquid paraffin and kerosene to ease the flow. This way no large blobs are formed. Vaseline (petroleum jelly) can be used instead of liquid paraffin. 

Jordan Reeder said:

I had great success with your procedure, wondering if using less liquid paraffin and more regular paraffin would cause “spiking” during the warming up phase. Mine just melts in a big blob and then bloops around like it should.