Winter snowflake specimen fixing method with high morphological retention rate and snowflake specimen

Abstract

The application discloses a high-form-retaining-rate winter snowflake specimen fixing method and a snowflake specimen. The method comprises the following steps: precooling a carrier and an alpha-cyanacrylate solution to below 10 DEG C; after coating the precooling solution on the surface of the carrier, quickly placing the carrier into the snow to contact for a preset time; taking out the carrier, pouring the precooling solution again, and placing the carrier back into the snow to stand and solidify; and finally, standing and drying at normal temperature, so that the snowflake form is permanently fixed on the surface of the carrier. The application breaks through the limitation that the snow must be collected in the snowfall weather, and can be operated only by using the accumulated snow, a plurality of snowflakes can be fixed at one time to form a natural clustered specimen, and the specimen does not need to be packaged by using a cover sheet, so that the operation is simple, the cost is low, the form is retained completely, and the application is suitable for popular science education, meteorological research and ice-snow cultural and creative product development.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of ice and snow specimen preservation technology, and particularly relates to a method for fixing winter snowflake specimens with high morphological preservation rate and snowflake specimens. Background Technology

[0002] Existing methods for collecting snowflake specimens primarily rely on passively collecting snowflakes on rigid planar surfaces such as glass slides or metal plates during snowfall, followed by fixation through spraying or soaking with chemical reagents (such as aldehydes and resins). This method has the following significant drawbacks: Low success rate and low efficiency in data acquisition: It can only acquire data from a single chip, which cannot meet the needs of batch processing and commercialization. Highly dependent on the environment: It must be carried out in snowy weather and is greatly limited by climate conditions; Complex operation and high cost: requires the use of cover plate sealing, reagents evaporate quickly, and the form is easily damaged; The specimens have a monotonous form, making it difficult to present the natural clustering effect of snowflakes.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a specimen preparation method that can efficiently, stably, and cluster-preserve the morphology of snowflakes under non-snowfall conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to solve the problems of low collection efficiency, strong environmental dependence, inability to produce in batches, and limited morphology in existing snowflake specimen collection techniques, and provides a simple, widely applicable, and cluster-preserving method for fixing snowflake morphology.

[0005] This invention provides a method for fixing winter snowflake specimens with high morphological preservation, comprising: Prepare the carrier and ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution; The carrier and the ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution were pre-cooled to below -10°C. The pre-cooled ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution was evenly coated onto the pre-cooled surface of the carrier. The carrier coated with the ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution was placed in snow and kept in place for a predetermined first time. Remove the carrier and pour the pre-cooled ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution onto the snow adhering to the surface of the carrier again. Place the carrier back into the snow and let it stand for a preset second time. Remove the carrier and place it in a room temperature environment for a preset third time. After the moisture evaporates, the snowflake shape will be fixed on the surface of the carrier.

[0006] Preferably, the carrier is an acrylic sheet, a glass container, or a metal plate, and the color of the carrier is not limited.

[0007] Preferably, precooling the carrier and the ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution to below -10°C includes: The carrier was placed outdoors in winter or in a refrigerator and frozen to the same temperature as the outdoor environment in winter, and the ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution was frozen at -10°C or below the ambient temperature to the same temperature as or below the ambient temperature.

[0008] Preferably, the pre-cooling to below -10°C specifically means pre-cooling to a low-temperature environment of 10°C to 30°C.

[0009] Preferably, the snow is natural snow or artificial snow, and the collection and fixation process does not need to be carried out during snowfall.

[0010] Preferably, the preset first time is 5 minutes, the preset second time is 3 hours, and the preset third time is 1 hour.

[0011] Preferably, multiple snowflakes are simultaneously fixed on the surface of the carrier in a single operation to form naturally clustered snowflake specimens.

[0012] Preferably, after being left to stand at room temperature for a preset third time, the snowflake shape can be stably preserved for a long time without the need for a cover.

[0013] The present invention also provides a snowflake specimen, which is prepared by a winter snowflake specimen fixation method with high morphological preservation rate, wherein the carrier surface is fixed with snowflake morphologies that are naturally clustered.

[0014] This application discloses a method for fixing winter snowflake specimens with high morphological preservation and a snowflake specimen in general, which has the following beneficial effects: Highly adaptable to the environment: It can operate as long as there is snow, without needing snowfall, which greatly expands the data collection window; Efficient cluster collection: Multiple snowflakes can be fixed at once to form naturally clustered ornamental specimens; Simple to operate and low cost: No cover plate required, saving materials; standardized process steps, easy to promote. Complete morphological preservation: The retention rate of snowflake crystal structure is significantly improved through low-temperature precooling and secondary pouring processes; Wide range of applications: Applicable to multiple fields such as education, scientific research, and cultural and creative industries, and has good commercial prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the following description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a carrier coating solution provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of placing a carrier in snow according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the final snowflake specimen product provided in one embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0018] Example 1 Preparation of standard transparent acrylic carrier specimens: This embodiment details the standard procedure for creating clustered snowflake specimens using transparent acrylic sheets under natural snow conditions.

[0019] 1. Preliminary preparations: Carrier preparation: Select a transparent polymethyl methacrylate (acrylic) sheet with a thickness of 3mm and a size of 10cm×15cm, clean the surface and let it dry.

[0020] Fixative preparation: Prepare a sufficient amount of ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution.

[0021] 2. Pre-cooling treatment: The ambient temperature that day was -12℃. The cleaned acrylic sheet and the sealed glass bottle containing ethyl cyanoacrylate solution were placed together in a cool, shady place outdoors for 2 hours to pre-cool it, so that its core temperature was stabilized between -10℃ and -15℃, consistent with the outdoor ambient temperature in winter.

[0022] 3. Initial application of adhesive and collection: Wearing low-temperature gloves, remove the pre-cooled acrylic sheet. Pour the pre-cooled ethyl cyanoacrylate solution evenly onto the center of the sheet surface, and quickly spread it using another pre-cooled glass slide to form a uniform and extremely thin adhesive layer (e.g., ...). Figure 1 (As shown).

[0023] Immediately place the adhesive side parallel to the snow surface, then gently push it horizontally about 2cm deep into the snow, ensuring full contact between the adhesive and the snowflakes. Let it sit for 5 minutes (if...). Figure 2 (As shown).

[0024] 4. Secondary reinforcement: Five minutes later, carefully remove the acrylic sheet horizontally. You can see that a layer of naturally accumulated snowflakes has adhered to the adhesive layer on the sheet surface, with various shapes and initially forming clusters.

[0025] Pre-cooled ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution was slowly poured into the adhered snowflake layer in a thin stream. The solution quickly seeped into the gaps between the snowflakes and wrapped around the crystals from the bottom up.

[0026] 5. Low temperature curing: The carrier, after secondary irrigation, was quickly placed back into the snow to further increase the amount of snowflakes covering the surface and solidify the collected snowflake morphology. It was then left to cure at -12°C for 3 hours. During this process, ethyl α-cyanoacrylate underwent a polymerization reaction, encapsulating and fixing the snowflake crystals in situ.

[0027] 6. Drying at room temperature and completion: Three hours later, the specimen was removed, and the snowflakes were found to be firmly sealed with transparent solid glue. It was then moved to a room at room temperature (approximately 20°C) and relative humidity below 50%, and left to stand horizontally for one hour. During this process, the trace amounts of ice crystals remaining inside the specimen sublimated, making the snowflake shape clearer.

[0028] The final result is a solid, transparent cluster of snowflake specimens that requires no cover plate encapsulation (e.g. Figure 3 (As shown). The snowflakes have complete dendrites, a strong three-dimensional effect, and appear to be naturally scattered.

[0029] Example 2 Application of colored backgrounds and artificial snow environments: This example demonstrates the creation of artistically designed specimens using artificial snow and colored carriers in the absence of natural snowfall.

[0030] 1. Materials and Environment: Carrier: Dark blue acrylic sheet, circular in shape with a diameter of 10cm.

[0031] Snow accumulation: Artificial snow produced using snowmaking machines in a low-temperature cold storage (-15℃).

[0032] Fixative: Same as in Example 1.

[0033] 2. Pre-cooling: Pre-cool the blue acrylic sheet and fixative in a -15℃ cold storage for 3 hours.

[0034] 3. Procedure: Repeat the steps of applying adhesive, collecting (embedding) artificial snow, secondary pouring, and setting in the cold storage. The setting time is extended to 3.5 hours to ensure full curing in the lower humidity environment of the artificial snow.

[0035] 4. Effect: The final specimen, with its deep blue background and crystal-white snowflakes, creates a striking contrast, making it highly artistic and suitable for cultural and creative products.

[0036] Example 3 Applications of metal carriers and rapid precooling methods: This embodiment demonstrates an alternative solution using a metal carrier and a refrigerator for rapid pre-cooling.

[0037] 1. Materials: Carrier: 2mm thick brushed stainless steel plate.

[0038] Pre-cooling: Place the stainless steel plate in the freezer compartment of a -25℃ refrigerator for 1.5 hours; place the vial of ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution in the same freezer compartment for 1 hour.

[0039] 2. Procedure: Perform outdoors (-5℃) with residual snow. Due to the rapid thermal conductivity of metal, the adhesive must be applied and embedded in the snow within 1 minute of removing the item from the refrigerator. Subsequent steps are the same as in Example 1.

[0040] 3. Effects: The metal carrier provides a unique textured background and has a short pre-cooling time, making it suitable for temporary and rapid specimen preparation.

[0041] Example 4 To illustrate the importance of the key process parameters of this invention, the following comparative experiments were conducted: Experimental group 1 (parameters of this invention): The procedure was performed exactly as described in Example 1; Experimental Group 2 (adhesive solution not pre-cooled): All steps were the same, but room temperature (20℃) ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution was used; Experimental Group 3 (Insufficient settling time): The steps were the same, but the settling time for the second snow accumulation was only 0.5 hours; Experimental Group 4 (using coverslip sealing): Following the traditional method, an additional coverslip was added at the end and the edges were sealed with glue.

[0042] Result comparison: , Conclusion: The pre-cooling, secondary pouring, full-time low-temperature curing, and cover-free process of the present invention are necessary and preferred for obtaining highly intact, clustered, and stable snowflake specimens.

[0043] Example 5 Batch production applications: In an open-air snow field at -10℃, 20 pre-cooled transparent acrylic sheets (15cm*15cm) were prepared. Two people worked together: one applied the adhesive and initially embedded it into the snow, while the other applied it a second time after 5 minutes and transferred it to a centralized settling area. After 3 hours, all samples were collected and transferred to a room-temperature drying room. This method can complete the preliminary processing of hundreds of specimens within half a day, verifying the batch operability of the method of this invention.

[0044] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for fixing winter snowflake specimens with high morphological preservation rate, characterized in that, include: Prepare the carrier and ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution; The carrier and the ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution were pre-cooled to below -10°C. The pre-cooled ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution was evenly coated onto the pre-cooled surface of the carrier. The carrier coated with the ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution was placed in snow and kept in place for a predetermined first time. Remove the carrier and pour the pre-cooled ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution onto the snow adhering to the surface of the carrier again. Place the carrier back into the snow and let it stand for a preset second time. Remove the carrier and place it in a room temperature environment for a preset third time. After the moisture evaporates, the snowflake shape will be fixed on the surface of the carrier.

2. The method for fixing winter snowflake specimens with high morphological preservation rate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The carrier is an acrylic sheet, a glass container, or a metal plate, and the color of the carrier is not limited.

3. The method for fixing winter snowflake specimens with high morphological preservation rate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of precooling the carrier and the ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution to below -10°C includes: The carrier was placed outdoors in winter or frozen in a refrigerator until it was the same as the winter outdoor temperature, and the ethyl α-cyanoacrylate solution was frozen at -10°C or below the winter outdoor temperature.

4. The method for fixing winter snowflake specimens with high morphological preservation rate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pre-cooling to below -10°C specifically refers to pre-cooling to a low-temperature environment of 10°C to 30°C.

5. The method for fixing winter snowflake specimens with high morphological preservation rate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The snow accumulation can be natural or artificial, and the collection and fixation process does not need to be carried out during snowfall.

6. The method for fixing winter snowflake specimens with high morphological preservation rate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preset first time is 5 minutes, the preset second time is 3 hours, and the preset third time is 1 hour.

7. The method for fixing winter snowflake specimens with high morphological preservation rate according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple snowflakes can be fixed simultaneously on the surface of a carrier in a single operation, forming naturally clustered snowflake specimens.

8. A method for fixing winter snowflake specimens with high morphological preservation rate according to claim 1, characterized in that, After being left to stand at room temperature for a preset third time, the snowflake shape can be preserved stably for a long time without the need for a cover.

9. A snowflake specimen, characterized in that, Prepared by the method of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the carrier surface is fixed with snowflakes arranged in natural clusters.

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