Crafting Chemical Art with Safflower Extract: Home-based Acid–Base Chemistry and Spectrochemistry During Holidays

Abstract

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is not only a treasure trove of carthamin, a pigment that thrives in alkaline dye solutions, but also a plant of profound cultural and scientific significance. This experiment, which harnesses the dyeing properties of carthamin in conjunction with common household materials, unveils the intriguing scientific principles behind safflowers related to spectrochemical and acid−base chemistry. As an economical teaching method, the creation of chemical art products, such as inventive handkerchiefs, allows students to fully appreciate the beauty of chemistry, sparking their scientific curiosity and desire for exploration.