In Higher Chemistry Unit 2(e) Polymers under - Recent developments, a suggested activity is the investigation of the properties of slime. See also Slime - what's that? To produce excellent slime :- Preparation of the solutions (Teacher/Technician) Solution 1: 4% polyvinyl alcohol - 40 g of PVA per litre of deionised water (use PVA Av. Mol. Wt. 70,000-100,000) Slowly add the dry PVA to the cold deionised water whilst stirring rapidly, preferably using a magnetic stirrer. Continue stirring and heat the mixture slowly until the solution goes clear and colourless. This may take around 30 minutes at 70oC. Remove from the heat source and allow to cool to room temperature. Store in a sealed container. Solution 2: 4% borax solution – 40 g of borax (sodium tetraborate) per litre of deionised water. Slowly add the borax to the deionised water whilst stirring. The borax should completely dissolve after about five minutes of stirring. Store in a sealed container. Making the Slime (Students) Simply mix 5 parts PVA solution to 1 part borax solution and stir. To make the clear slime authentic, try adding green food colouring to the PVA solution prior to adding the borax solution. Note - The slime will eventually dry out, so store it in an airtight container if you wish to keep it. To dispose of unwanted slime, simply allow it to dry out and put the solid in the bin. see clear slime Safety Measures Preparation of: Main Hazard Control Measures Borax solution Borax is harmful if ingested in quantity. May be irritating to eyes. Handle carefully to avoid raising dust. PVA solution PVA may be harmful by inhalation, ingestion or skin absorption. May cause eye/skin irritation. Handle carefully to avoid raising dust. Avoid contact with skin. After handling slime ensure that students wash their hands carefully.

SSERC Members Online                      SSERC Visitors Online