The document describes an experiment to create a flexible polymer, or slime, using simple household chemicals. Two types of glue - wood glue and white glue - were tested to see which produced a substance that was both a solid and a liquid. It was found that while both glues created slime, the white glue produced a slime that was more flexible and had a texture like Silly Putty, whereas the wood glue was more liquid-like. Adjusting the amount of borax, which acts as a crosslinking agent, could change the consistency of the slime. The experiment demonstrated how polymers can have both solid and liquid properties through molecular bonding.

1. John Castillo & Jordan Yrastorza

2. The definition of slime is ‘thin, glutinous mud or
any ropy/viscous liquid matter’. Despite of how
gross the characteristics of slime and how it is
defined– Oh did I mention that it is also known as a
viscous secretion of animal or vegetable origin?
Yeah, real gross. It is still cool though because
apparently, we are curious about it and we actually
think its pretty cool. It is unique polymer because it
possesses the qualities of being a sold and a liquid
AT THE SAME TIME (Wowserz!). This is possible
because there are chains between polymers so
then can stretch and bend. Pretty cool.

3.  Question: ‘How can we use simple chemicals
to create a polymer that’s flexible?’

4.  To find a way to make a substance that is a
SOLID and a LIQUID. (Flexible Polymer)
 Also, which type of glue can be best suited in
making slime.

5.  If more borax is added, the slime will have a
much thicker consistency.

7.  Basically mix
 Food coloring and water; then mix in glue
(in one container)
 Mix in borax powder and water in another
container
 Mix both solutions and watch the slime!

9. BTW
Wood Glue Slime is
shown here.

10. Regular Mix (Measurements from the Experiment)
Type of Glue Did we get slime?
Wood Yes. Was more liquid than solid.
White Yes. Very flexible, had the “flexible
polymer” look and feel.
Custom Mix (2 Tablespoons of Water, 1 Tablespoon of Glue and Borax)
Type of Glue Did we get slime?
Wood Yes. Very slimy. (same as with reg. mix)
White Yes. Thicker consistency. Not as flexible
(by a little).

11.  Well, wood glue seems to be much more
“liquidy” than the slime created using white
glue.
 Basically, wood glue looked like gooey slimy
alien blood looking sticky liquid while white
glue slime looked like Silly Putty.

13. WOOD GLUE WHITE GLUE

14. Now this is the part where we ACTUALLY get the audience’s attention.
Now let’s make some Slime!

15.  Yes you can make slime or “flexible polymer” with
simple ingredients.
 It seems that the best type of glue to use to get more
of a ‘solid’ feel, is the white glue. The wood glue had
more of a liquid characteristic and got stuck to places
more often.
 There is a chemical reaction going on when the borax
and glue solutions are mixed together, the polymer
found in the glue, polyvinyl acetate undergoes a
change.
 The bonds are cross-linked, therefore makes the glue
stick to itself more than on any other surface. The
borax acts like the crosslinking agent for the glue.
 The flexibility of the polymer is possible because the
molecules are not fixed in place (stretchy stretchy).

16.  More borax was used (custom mix) and it did
make a change. The white glue slime was a bit
more stiff.
 There were possible sources of error in this
experiment. One could be not using the right
amount, either not using sufficient or way too
much of one ingredient. But most of the time
this experiment works well.
 A small improvement can be using other tyoes
of glue or adhesive liquids to see which would
create the ‘better’ slime.

17.  http://www.sciencefairadventure.com/Projec
tDetail.aspx?ProjectID=145
 http://www.madsci.org/experiments/archive/
878680114.Ch.html
 http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/pol
ymer.php
 http://chemistry.about.com/od/madscientistl
ab/a/slimeproject.htm