Recipe+for+Polymers

Crazy Putty
Materials: White school glue, 25 mL 5 oz. paper cup 4% sodium tetraborate solution, 5 mL wooden splints for stirring rods plastic wrap food coloring (optional)

Procedure: 1. Pour the 25 mL of glue into the paper cup. (Do not use a graduated cylinder to measure out the glue – mark the line on the paper cup using water.) 2. Add 20 mL of water to the glue and stir well. 3. Add food coloring if desired at this point. 4. Add 5 mL of the 4% sodium tetraborate solution to the glue and stir immediately. 5. Using the wooden stir stick, transfer the now solid polymer to a piece of plastic wrap. 6. Allow the putty to sit for a couple of minutes and then knead it thoroughly.

= //Slime// = Materials:
 * 4% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)
 * 4% sodium tetraborate solution, 5 mL
 * plastic wrap
 * 5 oz. paper cup
 * wooden splints sticks for stirring rods
 * food coloring (optional)
 * distilled or deionized water, 100 mL

Procedure: 1. Pour 25 mL of PVA into the plastic cup. 2. Food coloring may be added at this point if desired. 3. Add 4 mL of the borate solution to the cup and stir well with the wooden stir stick. 4. Allow the mixture to gel for about a minute.


 * < After each of these recipes is finished "curing," answer the following questions about the properties of the polymer ||
 * 1. How does the polymer feel to touch? ||
 * 2. How does it behave differently when it is stretched slowly or pulled quickly? Why does this happen? ||
 * 3. When rolled up like a ball, does the polymer bounce? ||
 * 4. If the putty is still in the ball shape and allowed to sit, what happens to it? Why ||
 * 5. When the polymer is struck with a hammer, how does it behave? ||
 * 6. Does the polymer act like a liquid or a solid? ||
 * 7. Hold the slime with your fingers and let it flow freely. See how long the gel will flow. ||