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9. Textile as scaffold

Crystalization experiments

What is Crystalization:

"non-equilibrium condition in which some quantity of the macromolecule in excess of the solubility limit, under specific chemical and physical conditions, is nonetheless present in solution.” The formation of solids in solution, such as aggregation and crystals, favors the re-establishment of equilibrium. The system wants to re-establish equilibrium so every component in the energy expression is at a minimum.

Crystallization is a common and useful laboratory technique. It can be used to purify substances, and can be combined with advanced imaging techniques to understand the nature of the substances crystallized. In laboratory crystallization, a substance can be dissolved into an appropriate solvent.

Inspired from Man Ray experimental director "rayographs". In Le Retour à la raison (Return to Reason), the artist extended the rayograph technique to moving images—he sprinkled salt and pepper onto one piece of film and pins onto another, I decided to crystalize celluloid film.

I used Allum on Celluloid 35mm films, the crystals didnt grow on the surface so I sewn on it some threads, and pieces of fabrics. Still working in progress to get other results with this technique.

Allum and thermochromic ink on shoulder pads

Menstrual Blood Crystalization

Waiting for my menstruation coming on the next New Moon!

  • re-use of our body fluid
  • self-exploration and experimentation
  • Witchcraft
  • Taboo topic

"to make accessible topics of the body, such as those that are intertwined with taboo and misinformation in connection to biological knowledge"

  • Dismantling Feminist Biology through the Design of eTextiles. Teresa Almeida1, Ko-Le Chen, Rob Comber1 and Madeline Balaam

"In the healthy blood crystallized hemoglobin can be easily demonstrated: a large drop of blood is placed upon a slide, and after coagulation of the margin has taken place the cover is lowered gently, and after from twelve to twenty-four hours the hemoglobin appears as rhombic crystals" - Jamanet work

- NadiaCampoWoytuk_hack_the_period

Chemical composition of menstrual blood:

  • Sodium (sodiumand potassium are electrolytes that keep the pH low)
  • Calcium
  • Phosphate
  • Iron
  • Cloruro
  • cervical mucus, vaginal secretions, endometrial tissue

PH is one of the most powerful manipulations that one can assign for the optimal crystallization condition.

Collect - Filtering - Ph alteration.

Feminist biology

"You don’t really need advanced technology to make a dildo!" - Dildomancy

The importance of the DIY and autoexploration of our body

Biodildo

Dildo model Animation

CNC MILLING MACHINE

RHINO + RHINOCAMM

  • Do a bounding box
  • Put horizontal (with flat and for definicion the round one)
  • We are using a 6mm but you have to set all the measurment usually
  • Feed Rate= RPM x Number Flutes x Chip Load
  • RPM=18k - 24K
  • Cl 0.279-0.33
  • 18000x1x0.279=5000mm/min
  • 18000x1x0.33=5900mm/min

ALGINATE MATERIAL Alginate is present in the cell walls of brown algae, as the calcium, magnesium and sodium salts of alginic acid. Alginate bioplastic is made by combining two separate mixtures: one containing sodium alginate, water and glycerine (as a base) and a curing agent, calcium chloride. Calcium has the ability to form two bonds which will hold the alginate into a long link forming this gel as a molecule called a polymer.

WATER RESISTANCE : Alginate Bioplastic, once dipped in calcium chloride, is water proof with PH neutral or acid water. It starts dissolving in a couple hours when the PH of the water it is submerged in, is alkaline.

HEAT RESISTANCE : Alginate Bioplastic is very heat resistant, even when casted in a thin film, it can withstand temperatures up to 150 degrees celsius.

ALGINATE RECIPE

Starting from - 12gr ALginate - 20gr Glycerine - 10gr Sunflower oil - 200ml Water The amount of ingredients changed during themiz to get the right density to fill up my mold without using to much water.

-10gr calcium chloride -100ml water

I sprayed the walls of my mold with the calcium cloride.

The second day the alginate is still liquid so i put it in the oven at 25degree and ventilation

Waiting for the result!

Future Projects

  • Piezoelectric crystals
  • Blood growing crystal

Last update: December 15, 2021