[shrimpy]

Hey,
I'm a high school student, and a team at my school has won a spot on a civilian rocket, which will be under micro-gravity for four to five minutes.  We have designed an apparatus to mix about 5ml of two different fluids together, where they will undergo a precipitation reaction.  At the end of the period whatever precepitant forms will be preserved (from the forces of re-entry) by solidifying acrylimide monomer's in the reaction chamber with temed. 

The obvious choice for a reaction is a double replacement reaction producing a solid precipitant.  However we were wondering if anyone had any ideas for more interesting precipitant reactions that could be carried out in micro gravity.  The obvious constraints are anything that produces large quantities of gas, or anything with particularly dangerous or corrosive reactants.  I realize the small window for crystallization makes the formation of elaborate crystals nearly impossible but that's just a constraint we have to deal with,
Thanks,
Nathaniel

[enahs]

I am currently doing some research (of many different projects) on ZnO nanoparticles. So naturally I think it would be cool if you formed some ZnO.

Probably the easiest way of one of the many methods I am working with would be.
Mix a ~0.03M NaOH solution with a ~0.01M ZnCH₃COOH. 2 H₂0 solution.
Now, truth is what I am doing is much more complicated the that; but it would still be neat to see the results. Only, I would not be able to see the results, because as I said nano size, and so we are talking not something you can tell with a picture.

And the precipitate is just a boring white powder.


If you can provide me with more information, I am sure I could fit in in my research budget to send you the materials and money to pay to ship some of the results back (i.e. your team gets some, and I get some).


But still, that would be cool for me and not of too much interest for your team to study.


*edit*
Note, the Zinc Acetate Dihydrate is in a methanol solution in this method.