qwerty123 Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Hello, I have finally got hold of some silicone oil and some boric acid powder. I was hoping when i mixed the 2 together i would get a reaction which made silly putty Well it didnt happen , i also tried stiring it over a steady heat but not luck ! I am using 500cst silicone oil and just normal boric acid powder. Could anyone give me some advice or direct me on wereever i am going wrong ? Thanks ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwerty123 Posted October 8, 2006 Author Share Posted October 8, 2006 hi, does anyone have any ideas ? any help would be great Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YT2095 Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 have you tried dissolving some of the boric acid in water and trying that? I know oil and water don`t mix, but they may react at the interface. and it Is Boric ACID you have and not Borax I hope? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwerty123 Posted October 9, 2006 Author Share Posted October 9, 2006 ye i am using boric acid also i will try your idea of mixing the boric acid with water. Ill do 1 part boric acid 1 part water ? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwerty123 Posted October 9, 2006 Author Share Posted October 9, 2006 i just have it a go mixing the boric acid powder with water and still no luck ! Im a bit stuck and i cant find anywhere on the net with recipes for silly putty using silicone oil ! Thnks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5614 Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 I'm guessing when you do this (with acid powder) there is no reaction? If the boric acid is very weak the reaction could take a long time. So maybe try disolving the powder in less water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwerty123 Posted October 9, 2006 Author Share Posted October 9, 2006 well i put enough water in to virtually dissolve all of the boric acid. Really i need to find out some quanities i need to use , but i cant seem to find anything online Maybe i need to use a lot of silicone oil or not as much silicone oil ? Don't kno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YT2095 Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 or the oil you have has Stabilisers in it and not Pure? I have no idea either, all I know is that Silicon oil and boric acid makes silly putty, sadly they (and subsequently non of us) can be more specific about this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwerty123 Posted October 9, 2006 Author Share Posted October 9, 2006 the silicone oil is pure silicone oil , im also stumped ! i have no idea and like i said before there jsu doesnt seem to be anything about it on the net :s Dnt kno why ! If anyone knos then let me know Thanks ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YT2095 Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 I gather you`ve looked here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silly_Putty and it`s related links? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwerty123 Posted October 9, 2006 Author Share Posted October 9, 2006 "An undergraduate chemistry experiment is the production of silly putty; this is done by treating a solution of dimethyldichlorosilane in diethyl ether with water (Warning: the reaction of dimethyldichlorosilane with water is violent and generates hydrochloric acid). After washing the ether solution of the silicone oil with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, the solution is dried before the ether is evaporated off. Powdered boric oxide is added to the oil and then heated to form the Silly Putty. The Silly Putty has boron based crosslinks between the polymer chains. These boron crosslinks can break and form only slowly, hence when the silly putty is hit with a hammer or thrown at the floor it shatters or bounces but when the solid is left for a time in a tray it slowly flows. [citation needed]" Yeh i have taken a look at that , clearly that requires other things appart from Boric Acid Powder and Silicone Oil ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YT2095 Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 I wonder if perhaps there is a catalyst they don`t mention on any of these places, maybe a Copyright thing going on? it might be an idea to look up the Patent for it in that case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwerty123 Posted October 9, 2006 Author Share Posted October 9, 2006 yeh I was thinking aong those lines aswell , It seems when they describe the story they describe it as him " dropping boric acid into silicone oil and discovering it" This must be a lie surely ? They probably will not let anyone know its trade secrets isnt it Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YT2095 Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 well it`s either that, or modern silicone oil is adulterated with anti-oxidants for better shelf life and performance and such in open air. if you have as you say you have, then I can`t see any reason Why this should not work for you. I honestly have no answer to your question, sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Duno if this will help. The sources I have seen all quote these as the ingrediants : 65% - Dimethyl Siloxane, hydroxy-terminated polymers with boric acid 17% - Silica, quartz crystalline 9% - Thixotrol ST 4% - Polydimethylsiloxane 1% - Decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane 1% - Glycerine 1% - Titanium Dioxide The mix of acid to water seems to be anywhere between half and two tabble spoons to one cup of water. Warm water helps it disolve better. Good luck. You cold make the pva glue and boric one if ya get realy stuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwerty123 Posted October 10, 2006 Author Share Posted October 10, 2006 surely its PVA and Borax ? 1 tbspn of borax in water then wmix with a PVA glue and water solution ? 1 part water 1 part PVA Thanks Is there a way of doing it with boric acid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 I again have not done this but, boric acid is used with the glue in some recipes. Its not as good as the silicone version though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwerty123 Posted October 10, 2006 Author Share Posted October 10, 2006 i have a good borax recipe ! It seems good but it dries up a bit after a while but im asuming this wnt happen as long as its air tight Its a shame i cant figure out the silicone oil one ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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