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Specialty Chemistry Forums => Citizen Chemist => Topic started by: nandad on July 26, 2018, 10:12:11 AM

Title: Preserve flowers chemically for eternity
Post by: nandad on July 26, 2018, 10:12:11 AM

Hi everyone,

I have been trying to preserve flowers to make them last for ever. Preserved flowers are becoming a huge trend but they still don't last forever and feel dry, they are separated from their greens.

I have been using the following process so far:

soak in ethanol and dye
heat flower
soak in ethanol with polyethylene glycol
heat flower and wait
rinse them with ethanol

I am also studying the effects of keratin as a preserver, also very interesting!

I have not been successful in terms of how the flower looks. I have been working on this for almost 1 year now...

Hopefully, I am not the only one interested in this topic, I would love to know your progress, let's help each other, start a little group to speed the progress?

Title: Re: Preserve flowers chemically for eternity
Post by: Borek on July 26, 2018, 10:44:09 AM

Compare http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=84102

Title: Re: Preserve flowers chemically for eternity
Post by: nandad on July 31, 2018, 12:14:39 PM

This one is not active, I would love to see an active forum in this

Quote from: Borek on July 26, 2018, 10:44:09 AM

Compare http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=84102

Title: Re: Preserve flowers chemically for eternity
Post by: wildfyr on July 31, 2018, 01:18:35 PM

Forever is a long time. My suggestion to keep something in perfect condition for long periods of time would be to seal it in a block of polymethylmethacrylate (aka aquarium glass) and leave it in the dark.

If something is exposed to air or light, it will eventually degrade. Especially something as sensitive as the natural colors in flowers. These colors only evolved to last a few months (tops!) in an actively regenerating, living system.