FOUNDATION IN SCIENCE (P & S)

TRIMESTER 3

UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL

RAHMAN CENTRE FOR
FOUNDATION STUDIES

FHSC1124 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

Lab Assessment

“Chemistry in the Kitchen”

1. Chan Jia Quan (2002859)
2. Fan Lok Men (2003701) Edit
GROUP MEMBER 3. Lee Wei Loon (2003683)
NAMES AND
STUDENT ID 4. Tee Seck Li (2002419)
5. Tow Chun Lok (2003070) Record

6. Tow Shi Kai (2002185)

PRACTICAL
P17
GROUP
TITLE OF
Preparation of slime without using borax
EXPERIMENT
LECTURER Mr. Law Soon Pin

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Title:
Polymerization- Preparation of slime without using borax.

Objectives:
1. To form slime using detergent powder and baking powder.
2. To determine the elasticity of slime by using different masses of detergent powder and
baking powder.

Materials:
200 ml PVA glue, 15 g detergent powder, 15 g baking powder, 20 ml saline solution, hot water,
food coloring

Apparatus:
Cup, filter, electronic kitchen scale, plastic bowls, teaspoon, measuring tape.

Variables:
Manipulated variable: Masses of detergent powder and baking powder used
Responding variable: Elasticity of the slimes

Safety Precautions:
1. Wear protective gloves when conducting the experiment as the materials may cause
skin allergy.
2. Take care to keep the materials and the slime away from your clothes or cloth may
produce permanent stains.
3. Do not dispose of slime or any waste down the drain to prevent clogs.

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Procedure:

Part A: PVA glue with detergent powder and saline solution

1. 5 g of detergent powder is weighed with an electronic kitchen scale and poured into a
plastic bowl.
2. Hot water is poured into the plastic bowl and the mixture is stirred with a teaspoon to
dissolve detergent powder.
3. 50 ml of PVA glue is measured and poured into the mixture of detergent powder and hot
water. The mixture is stirred continuously.
4. 10 ml of saline solution is added little by little into the mixture and stirred until a blob of
slime is formed.
5. The excess mixture of detergent powder and hot water is poured out.
6. The slime is kneaded until it becomes more consistent.
7. Few drops of food coloring are added into the mixture.
8. The slime is stretched. The maximum length of the slime is measured using measuring
tape and recorded.
9. The experiment is repeated by using 10g of detergent powder and different amounts of
food colouring.

Part B: PVA glue with baking powder

1. 50 ml of PVA glue is measured and added into a plastic bowl.
2. Few drops of food coloring are added into the PVA glue and stirred with a teaspoon.
3. 5 g of baking powder is measured and added into the PVA glue.
4. The mixture of PVA glue and baking powder is stirred continuously.
5. The excess solution formed is filtered into another plastic bowl.
6. Steps 4-5 is repeated until a blob of slime is formed.
7. Once the slime is formed, the slime is kneaded until it becomes more consistent.
8. The slime is stretched. The maximum length of the slime is measured using measuring
tape and recorded.
9. The amount of excess solution formed is noted.
10. The experiment is repeated by using 10 g of baking powder and different amounts of food
coloring.

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Table of Results:

Part A: PVA glue with detergent powder and saline solution

Table 1.1: Maximum length of slime in different masses of detergent powder.
Amount of Detergent Powder (g) Maximum Length of Slime (cm)
5 51.0
10 30.5

Part B: PVA glue with baking powder

Table 1.2: Maximum length of slime with different masses of baking powder.
Mass of baking powder (g) Maximum Length of Slime (cm)
5 41.5
10 10.6

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Discussions:

The manipulated variable for the experiment is the masses of detergent powder and
baking powder used in this experiment and the responding variable for this experiment is the
elasticity of slime.

In Part A of the experiment, the manipulated variable is masses of detergent powder

used. By referring to the label, the saline solution that we used in the experiment contains
sodium chloride (NaCl) in sterile purified water. Once saline solution is added to the PVA glue
and detergent, NaCl reacts with PVA molecules to form hydrogel. However, due to less saline
solution used, the amount and concentration of NaCl is limited, thus, hydrogel is not fully
formed, but a fluffy jelly-like precipitate is produced.

Figure 1.1: Ingredients of the saline solution used.

When the PVA glue is added into the mixture of detergent powder and hot water, and
being stirred, a blob of precipitate is formed. When 10 ml of saline solution is added little by
little, the slime is more fully formed. During the reaction between PVA and NaCl, water
molecules are trapped by a process called cross linking. Therefore, the slime formed is wet and
the untrapped water is then poured away. Besides, the slime formed is getting cooler as an
endothermic reaction occurs between saline solution and PVA glue.

According to the results of Part A, with 10 ml of saline solution, slime with 5 g of

detergent powder has a longer maximum length than that with 10 g of detergent powder. The
results show that elasticity of the slime with 5 g of detergent powder is greater than the slime
with 10 g of detergent powder.

Figure 1.2: Maximum length of slime with 5 g detergent powder and 10 ml saline solution is
measured.

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Figure 1.3: Maximum length of slime with 10 g detergent powder and 10 ml saline solution is
measured.

Both with 10 ml of saline solution, difference in elasticity between slimes with 5 g and
10 g of detergent powder each due to the formation of cross-linkage between PVA and NaCl
in saline solution. Amount of detergent powder represents the amount of cross-linking agent.
As the mass of detergent powder increases, it activates more monomers of PVA, forming more
cross-linkage between PVA and NaCl. When more cross-linkage is formed between the
molecules, the molecular structure of slime is further strengthened by the covalent bonding.
Thus, PVA and NaCl are prevented from sliding past each other easily.

When 5 g of detergent powder is used, only partial monomers of PVA are able to
form cross-linkage with NaCl. Weak Van der Waals forces hold the molecules together, the
two molecules will slide over each other easily. Thus, the slime with 5 g of detergent powder
behaves more elastic and it is able to be stretched to a longer length before breaking apart. On
the other hand, when 10 g of detergent powder is used, more cross-linkage is formed between
PVA and NaCl. As the polymers are held together by strong covalent bonding, the slime is
more solid, more rigid and less elastic. When it is being stretched by a force, it breaks with a
shorter maximum length.

In Part B of the experiment, after the baking powder is added into the glue continuously,
the slime is formed and appears as a fluffy precipitated. At the same time, as the slime is being
kneaded, a cloudy pink solution is formed and compressed out from the slime. A low “fizz”
sound is also heard during the kneading of the slime. The cloudy pink solution and “fizz” sound
is due to the reaction between baking soda and leavening acid.

Figure 1.4: Baking powder is added into PVA glue and stirred.

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 According to the label, the baking powder used in this experiment contains sodium acid
pyrophosphate (disodium pyrophosphate). In this reaction, sodium acid pyrophosphate will
react with baking soda to form trisodium diphosphate, carbon dioxide and water (Lallemand,
2018). The water formed appears to be a cloudy pink solution due to the presence of red food
colouring and undissolveded ingredients in the baking powder.

Figure 1.5: Ingredients in the baking powder used.

Figure 1.6: Chemical equation between Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate and Baking Soda

According to the result of the experiment, the maximum length of slime with 5 g of
baking powder is longer compared to the slime with 10 g of baking powder. It can be concluded
that elasticity of slime with 5 g of baking powder is greater than the slime with 10 g of baking
powder.

Figure 1.7: Maximum length of slime with 5 g of baking powder is measured.

Figure 1.8: Maximum length of slime with 10 g of baking powder is measured.

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 The slime with 5 g of baking powder is more elastic than the slime with 10 g of baking
powder due to the presence of baking soda and starch as the activator and cross-link agent
respectively. As the mass of baking powder increases, the amount of baking soda and starch
will also increase. As the amount of baking soda increases, it will activate more monomers of
polyvinyl acetate to form the monomers of polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH). Meanwhile, as the
amount of starch increases, the cross-linking between PVOH and starch will also increase.
Thus, cross-linking between the polymers will form covalent bonding which strengthens the
molecular structure of slime. Therefore, the cross-link will prevent the PVOH and starch from
sliding over each other easily.

In the slime with 5 g of baking powder, there is less cross-link between PVOH and
starch. As the starch and PVOH are held together by weak Van der Waals force, the two
polymers will slide over each other easily. Thus, the slime with 5 g of baking soda behaves
similar to a non-Newtonian fluid as it can be stretched to a long length before the slime breaks
apart. While in the slime with 10 g of baking powder, there is more cross-link between PVOH
and starch. As the PVOH and starch are held together by strong covalent bonds, the slime with
10 g of starch behaves like a solid. The slime is stiff and inelastic as a force is required to
stretch and break apart the slime. Overall, the slime with 5 g of baking powder is more elastic
than the slime with 10 g of baking powder due to its smaller number of cross-link between
PVOH and starch.

Overall, in this experiment, as the mass of detergent powder and baking powder
increases, the elasticity of the slime will decrease. This due to the cross-linking which forms
covalent bonds within the molecules. Due to the increasing formation of covalent bonds, it will
decrease the tendency of PVA polymers to slide over each other easily. If less cross-linking
agent is added, the PVA polymers will slide over each other easily as they are held together by
weak Van der Waals force. Besides, given that the same mass of cross-linking agent is added,
the slime with detergent powder poses a greater elasticity compared to the slime with baking
powder. This is because the starch is also a long chain polymer while NaCl is an individual
substance. Thus, the starch tends to form more covalent bonds with PVOH in the slime with
baking powder. As the intramolecular force in the slime with baking powder is strengthened,
the slime is being more stiff and non-stretchable.

There are also some precaution steps when the experiment is being carried out. Firstly,
we must make sure that the electronic kitchen scale is returned to zero before measuring the
mass of the detergent powder. Next, the detergent powder should be completely dissolved by
the hot water to prevent the slime from not accumulate together. Furthermore, make sure that
when observing the amount of the PVA glue and the saline, the eyes have to parallel with the
water level to prevent the parallax error. Moreover, the slime has to be measured with the same
type of ruler to make sure the accuracy of the result of the experiment. Furthermore, we should
avoid stirring the slime together in the presence of solution formed. This will prevent the starch
from undergoing hydrolysis in the presence of water and affect the outcome of the reaction.
Last but not least, PVA glue has to be used immediately after it is poured into the bowl to
prevent it from solidifying.

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Theory of the Experiment:

Cross-linking is the formation of covalent bonds which hold portions of several

polymer chains together, decreasing a material’s elasticity and making it become more rigid
(Ed et al., 2020). Slime is an example of a cross-linked polymer. Polymer chains are formed
by strong covalent bonds. In the making of slime, polymerization occurs, the polymer chains
are “hooked” together by weak hydrogen bonds. This cross-linking is weak because the slime
is easily being pulled apart. Even though this cross-linking is weak, it does alter the properties
of the polymer.

The polymer in the glue we used is polyvinyl acetate (PVA). PVA is a synthetic
polymer composed of vinyl acetate as monomer. Like many other polymers, polyvinyl acetate
is arranged in the glue like many strands of thread. These strands of molecules slide past each
other as the glue flows. Figure 2.1 shows the structure for one strand of polyvinyl acetate and
the circled part of the structure is the repeating monomer subunit in the molecule.

Figure 2.1: Structure for a polyvinyl alcohol molecule.

The slime activator such as borax, saline solution and detergent acts as a cross-linking
agent to allow it to happen. Borax is the most common slime activator used to make slime.
When borax reacts with water, an ion called borate ion is formed. When the borax solution is
added to the PVA glue solution, borate ions link the long polymer molecules to each other so
they cannot move and flow as easily. When enough polymer molecules get hooked together in
the right way, the glue solution changes from being very liquid to a rubbery slime (American
Chemical Society, n.d.).

Figure 2.2: Equation between borate ion and PVA (Carolina Knowledge Center, 2020).

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 Since we are carrying out experiments to make borax-free slime, we are using detergent
powder and baking powder to replace borax in making slime. However, whether one of them
is being used, the same principle of chemistry is used when making slime. The long polymer
chains are connected at random locations. The molecule is held by the bridges between the
PVA chains, making it stiffer, stronger, more integrated and viscous by reducing its flow rate.
It’s this cross-linking that gives slime its characteristic feel as a non-Newtonian fluid
(Imagination Station, n.d.).

In Part A, slime is formed through reaction between PVA glue, detergent powder with
hot water to dissolve it, and saline solution. When all the materials are combined together, the
glob of glue does not act like regular glue anymore. It became more stretchy and was not as
sticky as previous. This happened because of a change with the polymer in the glue. Sodium
chloride is a chemical that is contained in saline solution. It reacts with the PVA molecule of
glue to produce partially-formed hydrogel, which turns into a slime. Detergent powder which
acts as a cross-linking agent, activates cross-linkage between PVA and NaCl. The cross-linking
process is able to join them together into one giant molecule. This new compound is able to
absorb large amounts of water, producing a putty-like substance which can be squished or even
be bounced. Besides, saline solution is added to the mixture to further activate the product. It
further connects the strands together, so they cannot slide as much. When the slime is too hard
and not flexible, adding more saline solution can make the slime become flexible and softer.
Furthermore, when PVA molecules are combined with saline solution, a chemical reaction
called endothermic reaction occurs. Endothermic reaction absorbs heat energy and thus, it
works when the slime is getting cooler. The new polymer will be soft or stiff depending on the
amount of activators that is being used. Therefore, in the experiment on this part, different
amounts of detergent powder are being used as we make saline solution as a constant to study
how detergent powder affects the formation of slime.

Figure 2.3: Reaction between PVA chain and NaCl (Sun et al., 2017).

In Part B, the slime is formed by mixing PVA glue with baking powder. Instead of
baking soda, baking powder is used as it contains both baking soda and starch as well as other
ingredients. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) acts as the alkali in the experiment. By adding
baking soda into the PVA glue, it will increase the pH value. When the pH value is high, it will
create an ideal condition for oxidation reaction (Mirza, 2018). Thus, baking soda will activate
the polyvinyl acetate to be oxidized into polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH). Starch is a biopolymer
which is made up of a long chain of glucose. Once the PVOH is formed, the starch will start
cross-linking with the PVOH (Little Bins Little Hands, n.d.). The cross-linking will form
covalent bonds which hold and maintain the structure of these polymers. Thus, a slime is
formed. Therefore, different amounts of baking powder are used in order to determine how the

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amount of baking powder affects the elasticity of the slime. The expected outcome is that when
the mass of baking soda increases, the elasticity of slime will decrease due to the increasing
intramolecular force by the cross-linking.

Figure 2.4: Crosslink between starch and PVOH (Tang & Alavi, 2011)

Slime is so called as a non-Newtonian fluid because it is neither a solid nor liquid.

Cross-linking does not create a solid because the cross-linking agent connecting the polymers
together using weak ionic bonds. The bonds are strong enough to hold the slime together, but
weak enough to make the slime mouldable without solidified. When the slime is squeezed, it
shows viscous behaviour because the bonds between its polymer chains break easily under
pressure, and reform easily, allowing them to be reshaped and moulded. However, it will break
if it is pulled apart abruptly (Andy, 2018).

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Conclusion:

In Part A of the experiment, the slime can be formed by adding detergent powder and
saline solution into PVA glue. As the mass of detergent powder increases, the elasticity of the
slime decreases.
In Part B of the experiment, the slime can be formed by adding baking powder into
PVA glue. As the mass of baking powder increases, the elasticity of the slime decreases.

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Applications of Slime:

A borax free slime is common stuff that can be found in many toy shops, tire shops and
it can also be homemade. It has many usages in our daily life. Firstly, slime is a sensory toy for
people to relieve stress. When kneading and stretching the slime, the sounds and touch
sensation of slime can stimulate the senses of humans, it helps to take off people’s stress, calm
people’s nerves and increase concentration during work or study. At the same time, it can also
exercise people’s hands, joints and muscles (Majumdar, 2018).

Secondly, slime can be used as a cleaning tool. Since slime has properties of stretchy
and integrated, it can replace certain traditional cleaning props such as broom and mop for
cleaning purposes. As the slime has a similar property as non-Newtonian fluid, it does not have
a fixed shape at which its shape can be changed by applying stretching and moulding. Due to
the intermolecular between the polymers in slime, it does not break apart easily when there is
an external force applied on it. Therefore, it is used to stick and remove dust from a narrow
spot which is difficult to be cleaned. For instance, slime is widely used to clean the keyboard
and accessories of car as it is more effective than cloth and brush

Figure 3.1: Cleaning keyboard with slime (HGTV, n.d.).

Thirdly, slime also can be used as a tyre sealant. Slime tyre sealant is a non-toxic, non-
corrosive, non-flammable, non-aerosol, water-soluble, sticky, and thick liquid, it is also a
powerful puncture-prevention liquid. When the slime sealant is added to the tyre, the slime
sealant does not expand. It coats the inner rubber of the tyre as the tire rotates. It is only used
when the tyre was punctured, slime sealant can temporarily repair the tyre to prevent the air
from leaking out (Slime, 2018). The slime sealant will constant the tyre pressure as it is stuck
on the punctured area and it will flow out through the punctured hole.

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 Figure 3.2: Slime tyre sealant (Slime, n.d.)

Slime can be used to make special sound effects. Slime is a very low-cost way to make
special sound effects because it is easy to make. According to the "Slime ASMR Video", a very
famous YouTube channel, slime can do many low-cost special sound effect fist sounds, water
sounds, explosions and a lot of other sound effects really well, it also matches the reducing in
3M, so slime can be used by content creators.

Slime can be used in art, for example, a well-known web celebrity, Moriah Elizabeth
used slime in his painting. It is a very good idea because slime is a very simple and low-cost
thing to make, so if you can create something with it, I think it is a very simple and not wasteful
thing to do. Besides, slime can stimulate creativity and make us more imaginative.

Lastly, what will we do when we cannot find a tape? At this point, your slime will come
into play. We can use slime as a binding agent, but it is only suitable for light objects such as
paper or photographs, and can be reused anytime. Moreover, slime can also help us to fix the
mobile phone on the table, which saves money for Stand. So, slime is both a toy and a life
optimization tool.

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 References:

American Chemical Society. (n.d.). Time for slime. Retrieved from

https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/adventures-in-
chemistry/experiments/slime.html#:~:text=Borax%20in%20water%20forms%20an,m
ove%20and%20flow%20as%20easily.

Andy, B. (2018, June 13). The Chemistry of Slime. C&EN. Retrieved from
https://cen.acs.org/education/Periodic-Graphics-chemistry-slime/96/i25

Carolina Knowledge Center. (2020, Sep 30). How to Make Slime. Retrieved from
https://www.carolina.com/knowledge/2020/09/29/how-to-make-slime-2

Ed, V., John, W., Justin, S., Xavier, P., Tim, W., & Adam, H. (2020, Nov 6). Cross-Linking.
Chemistry LibreTexts. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3v9jnKT

HGTV. (n.d.). DIY Cleaning Slime for Hard to Reach Spaces. Retrieved from
https://www.hgtv.com/lifestyle/clean-and-organize/homemade-cleaning-slime

Imagination Station. (n.d.). Slime. Retrieved from https://www.imaginationstationtoledo.- org-

/education- resources/diy-activities/slime/

Lallemand. (1996). Lallemand Baking Update: Chemical Leaveners (Volume 2, number 12).
Retrieved from https://www.lallemand.com/BakerYeastNA/eng/PDFs
/LBU%20PDF- %20FILES/1_12CHEM.PDF

Little Bins Little Hands. (n.d.). How To Make Saline Solution Slime. Retrieved from
https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/how-to-make-saline-solution-slime-recipe/

Majumdar, A. (2018, January 14). Slime for stress relief - Is it really helpful?. Medium.
Retrieved from https://medium.com/@mjpavlatos/slime-for-stress-relief-is-it- really-
helpful-adcae926de4d

Slime. (2018, September 14). When Should You Use Tire Sealant?. Retrieved from
https://www.slime.com/us/blog/when-should-you-use-tire-sealant.php

Slime. (n,d.). Tyre Sealant. Retrieved from https://www.slime.com/uk/products/lawn-

garden/sealants/tire-sealant.php

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Sun, Y, Xiang, N, Jiang, X & Hou, L. (2017). Preparation of high tough poly(vinyl alcohol)
hydrogel by soaking in NaCl aqueous solution. Elsevier: Materials Letters, 194, 34-37.
Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2017.01.123

Tang, X., Alavi, S. (2011, April 22). Recent advances in starch, polyvinyl alcohol based
polymer blends, nanocomposites and their biodegradability. Elsevier: Carbohydrate
Polymer, 85(1), 7-16. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2011.01.030

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