Science Help with Polymers

[Drumline3469]

In science we have to create a polymer using Sodium Borate, White glue, and water. She gave us the base formula using 10g of each, but it is runny and nasty. We are trying to make a polymer that we can shape into a ball and that will bounce. The higher the ball bounces the better grade we get. Does anyone have any idea what a good combination of these items would be?

[K/H_Addict]

my cell phone uses a lithium polymer battery.



how come my science classes never did fun stuff?


i would start off with more glue and less water.

[Hahnarama]

can you heat/evaporate the water first?

[Drumline3469]

Umm... I don't think she said anything about that... It's worth a shot.

[Draconious]

http://www.physlink.com/estore/cart/...FSIZWQodZQ2DEQ

I wont tell if you dont tell

[LilMoochie]

Just google-search "sodium borate glue water polymer." I found a few sites that give the science behind polymers and what exactly is going on there chemically. Once you get the proportions right, the missing step may be that it needs to gel/cure a little bit for the polymers to arrange themselves. Good luck.

On a practical level, you are making Silly Putty. Searching that may give you some good leads as well.

[Hahnarama]

Originally Posted by LilMoochie

On a practical level, you are making Silly Putty. Searching that may give you some good leads as well.

DUDE!! he was supposed to figure that out himself as part of the experiment. I remember way back when in HS when we mixed the silicone oil and boric acid to make a big old 5 ball of grey silly putty.

[LilMoochie]

Originally Posted by Hahnarama

DUDE!! he was supposed to figure that out himself as part of the experiment.

Whoops. I figured from the nature of the question that he was asking more of a process analysis question than a theoretical one. I was trying to give some pointers so he could find the answer himself.

I can't imagine how easy it would have been to breeze through HS now that there's the instanet and wikipedia. I had to do my research in this building called a "library." It had inconvenient hours that meant I wasn't able to procrastinate more than so much.

[jbbnbsmith]

Originally Posted by LilMoochie

Whoops. I figured from the nature of the question that he was asking more of a process analysis question than a theoretical one. I was trying to give some pointers so he could find the answer himself.

I can't imagine how easy it would have been to breeze through HS now that there's the instanet and wikipedia. I had to do my research in this building called a "library." It had inconvenient hours that meant I wasn't able to procrastinate more than so much.

You are SO right!

I was helping my son study for a social studies test last night. He had left his book at school (doh!). But the book they use has a web site that not only has chapter reviews, but also sample tests, which are virtually identical to the test the teacher gives. It almost felt like cheating!
Between that and Wiki, I helped him gather probably more information than he'll ever need for a fifth grade social studies test.

Back in the day, if this happened to me, my only option would be cramming on the bus with a borrowed book.

The internet is a wonderful thing. Thank you, Al Gore!

[Jonathan]

Just get some Borax, some Elmer's, and some water and you're set. TRy a few different ratios and you can come up with all kinds of things from goop to bouncy balls.

Maybe 2:2:1 would do the trick.

[tyguy94920]

I remember doing this a few years ago but don't remember how. I think you just need to add less water and more glue.