instructables

Paper Molecular Models

by rgco

Ideal for the class-room, but also impossible to resist for the science geek: make your own molecular models with
just paper, glue and paint!

The 3-dimensional molecular geometry determines many of the chemical and physical properties of the matter
that surround us, and nothing beats holding a physical model in your hands to fully grasp its shape in three
dimensions.

Plastic molecular modelling sets exist, but they tend to be expensive, small and not very suitable for permanent
display. With paper we can make larger models cheaply. They are glued together, so once assembled the atoms
cannot be reused to make new combinations, but on the other hand, these xed models are very suitable for
permanent display.

This instructable contains pdf les for 4 shapes that can be printed on regular paper. They represent hydrogen
(white), carbon (black), nitrogen (blue) and oxygen (red), from which a huge number of organic molecules can be
built up. By using di erent colours from the CPK colour scheme also other atoms can be represented, such as
sulphur (yellow), chlorine and uorine (green) and phosphor (orange)

hydrogen.pdf has 2 outlines for the small hydrogen atom.

linear.pdf has the shape for a linear geometry , for carbon with a triple bond or two double bonds,
and for nitrogen with a double bond.
trigonal.pdf has the shape for the trigonal planar geometry, for carbon with one double bond or in
aromatic rings like benzene. It actually has 5 faces, so it's also good for the trigonal trigonal
bipyramidal geometry! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigonal_bipyramidal_molecular_geometry
tetrehedral.pdf has the shape for the tetrahedral geometry. It represents a carbon atom but also
nitrogen in the trigonal pyramidal geometry and oxygen in the bent geometry. Moreover, it is
suitable for any large atom that binds with only one other atom.

All shapes have one or more faces that is a regular hexagonal with sides of 3cm length. The atoms are combined
into molecules by gluing these faces together.

The python script used to make these shapes is attached in the nal step, so you can edit the size, shape and line
thickness at will.

Paper Molecular Models: Page 1

 Download
https://www.instructables.com/ORIG/F3Q/KXGV/K6U0T8IJ/F3QKXGVK6U0T8IJ.pdf
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Download
https://www.instructables.com/ORIG/FR9/TMZ3/K6U0T8IK/FR9TMZ3K6U0T8IK.pdf
…

Download
https://www.instructables.com/ORIG/FZK/LXHR/K6U0T8IL/FZKLXHRK6U0T8IL.pdf
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Download
https://www.instructables.com/ORIG/FHS/C1BX/K6U0T8IM/FHSC1BXK6U0T8IM.pdf
…

Step 1: Materials and Tools

Materials:

Paper - regular A4 printer/copier paper 80g/m^2

Paint - red, blue, black and white acrylic
Glue - PVA (the white milky type: Vinavil, Elmers)

Tools:

A printer: ink jet or laser

Scissors or sharp hobby knife
A large paintbrush for painting
A small paint brush for glueing

Paper Molecular Models: Page 2

Step 2: Print the Shapes

Choose the molecule that you want to make and print out the pages in the quantities required.

for example:

oxygen, O2: 2 tetrahedral

water, H2O: 2 hydrogen, 1 tetrahedral
carbon dioxide, CO2: 1 linear, 2 tetrahedral
ammonia, NH3: 3 hydrogen, 1 tetrahedral
methane, CH4: 4 hydrogen, 1 tetrahedral
formamide, COHNH2: 2 tetrahedral, 1 trigonal, 3 hydrogen
ethanol, CH3-CH2OH: 3 tetrahedral, 6 hydrogen
acetone, CH3-CO-CH3: 4 tetrahedral 6 hydrogen
benzene, C6H6: 6 trigonal, 6 hydrogen
glucose, C6H12O6: 12 tetrahedral 12 hydrogen

Regular white 80g/m^2 paper is ne, thicker paper (100 or 120g/m^2) might give extra strength. If you can’t print
on thick paper directly, you can print on regular paper and then make photocopies on thicker paper. Printing
directly on coloured paper could be a good way to get evenly coloured models and skip the painting step.

Paper Molecular Models: Page 3

Step 3: Paint the Sheets

Painting paper makes it wet, soft and deformed, but it out.

regains its original shape and strength when dry.
Therefore, it is best to paint the sheet before cutting Even though the acrylic paint is dry to touch within 10
folding and glueing. minutes, the paper will remain humid, soft and
bobbly for a while. Letting it dry overnight will help to
Paint the paper on the back side, so we can use the regain its shape and strength. Painting in two layers,
printed lines for folding, but they’ll be on the inside rst thin, then thick, gives best results.
and thus invisible. It is not needed to paint the whole
sheet, it is su cient to cover the part that will be cut

Step 4: Cut and Fold the Shapes

The shapes can be cut out with regular scissors or with a sharp knife. All the lips and edges need to be folded
sharply and precisely. First fold from the printed side, then fold back from the painted side.

Paper Molecular Models: Page 4

Step 5: Glue the Shapes

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All shapes consist of a top, a bottom, and six sides. released.
Glue the shapes one side at a time. The side that
contains the top and no lips should be glued last. Apply the glue with a paintbrush on all the lips of one
side and press the next side to it. Repeat for all sides
The glue of choice is the common PVA (Polyvinyl and nish o with the top. Done!
acetate) type: thick and milky, with paper it dries in a
few minutes. It is water based, so no toxic solvents are

Step 6: Put the Model Together

The individual atoms can now be glued together to form complete models of molecules. Atoms should be
connected only through the sides that are regular hexagons. The molecule in the picture is formamide, COH-NH2.

They are now ready for display. Since they are so light, they can be hung from the ceiling on sewing thread, and
show their full 3D structure by moving with the air ow.

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Step 7: Appendix: the Code

Attached here is the python script used to make the shapes. It requires the ROOT libraries for graphics. All shapes
are de ned as regular or alternating tubes, and the algorithm to draw those is generic. Variations of the shapes can
be made by varying the parameters in the calls to regtube() and alttube()

Download
https://www.instructables.com/ORIG/FUM/C14Q/K6U0T8K6/FUMC14QK6U0T8K6.py
…

Nice models ! It would be good to include patterns for trigonal bipyramidal, square planar and
octahedral molecules, so that transition metal coordination complex models could be constructed.
Thanks! Actually the 'trigonal' shapes also works for the trigonal bipyramidal geometry, I updated
the text. Square planar might be doable too, but octahedral is harder (it is not a tube, the 6-fold and
4-fold symmetries interfere...
And there are also some even more complex shapes for coordination numbers of 7, 9, 10 and 12 ! I
don't use Python, but I can understand that defining patterns for such complex shapes is no easy
task. Congratulations on your efforts anyway.
I tried to! I've been having lots of hiccups with the website recently...

Nice job on these!

You should consider entering the Paper Contest :)

Paper Molecular Models: Page 7