Silly string contains polyisobutyl methacrylate resin that gives it shape, sorbitan trioleate as a surface agent making it adhesive, and dichlorodifluoromethane propellant that propels it from the can. It is both cohesive, sticking to itself, and adhesive, sticking to other surfaces. When the can is pressed, the propellant mixes with the other ingredients and shoots out the nozzle as a gas at room temperature to create silly strings.
3. Ingredients cont.
polyisobutyl methacrylate is the resin of the
silly string and it gives it its shape
!
sorbitan trioleate is the surface agent. this
makes the silly string adhesive
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dichlorodifluoromethane is the propellant. This
propels the silly string out of the can (wilson).
!
!
4. Cohesive vs Adhesive
Cohesion is the ability of something to stick to itself and
not fall apart
Adhesion is it has the ability to attach it self to other
things.
Silly string is both adhesive and cohesive
5. Most of silly string is the propellant
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6. How it works
The can is pressurized and the propellant is a liquid but when
you press the nozzle the chemicals mix with the propellant and
shoot out the nozzle, and you don't see the propellant because
it it a gas at room temperature (Wilson).
7. FUN FACTS
Silly String is widely used by the U.S military to detect
trip wires and other booby traps
Freon-12 was used as a surfactant but it was banned by
the us because it hurts the ozone layer.
wham-o created silly string, but later gave the rights to
car-fresh (C&EN).