Idea for storing xtals in a vacuum

[MachineElf88]

Hey guys, I've got an idea that I think might work very well. I store my xtals in those small dark glass vials with a screw on top but I still find that my lovely white xtals go yellow pretty quick.

I've got one of these wine vacuum pumps - http://www.dx.com/p/wine-bottle-vacuum-pump-with-stoppers-36204#.VSAzvhPF_a4

So my idea is I could store my xtals in an empty wine bottle and then suck all the air out with the vacuum pump. I wonder if this would stop the yellowing which I guess is oxidisation.

What do you guys think?

 

[BubbleCat]

Those "vacuum pumps" dont create anything near a true vacuum, I sometimes use them on my wine and they pretty soon will make a click sound indicating the overload valve opening to prevent failure. Creating a environment emptied of every last molecule is near impossible and very costly, like when you wanted your own mass spectrometer or idk.

The other question is: In the ambient condition you can achieve with that device or in a true vacuum, would you gain anything ?

Proof of what is causing the discoloration would be helpfull, sadly I dont have any exact and true proven knowledge here but in general, if its the presence of various gasses that cause it, I have the unproven opinion its oxygen / oxygenation, you wont get something from a wine pump, but from a turbine pump with attached molecule trap

Other considerations that should be made, and for me that would be the most worrying and the reason to not make a habit out of the wine pump if it doesnt give you a clear advantage: The perhaps rising chance of sublimination

Crossing all minoe effects out I strongly feel you wont gain or loose anything with the wine pump, but I am interested on your findings and if they are special, finding a good explanation.

Give it a try.

Maybe a more easy route would be to flush your container with N, CO2 ... anything cheap and available.

 

[OrionFyre]

If anything I'd say you have more success purging the container with nitrogen or argon gas than a cheap vacuum pump that will still leave oxygen in there.

 

[1ce]

Slight oxidation isn't that big of a deal, yes, a vacuum will help. Standard practice would be store oxygen sensitive compounds under an inert gas, such as argon or N2.