Directions for Making a Polyvinyl Alcohol Solution:
Directions are taken from two books published by POLYED National Information Center for Polymer Education, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Department of Chemistry, Stevens Point, WI 54481-3897.
From "Polymer Chemistry Demonstrations and Experiments"
- Heat approximately 1.7 L of distilled water to 60-70o Celsius. (To hurry this initial heating, use water from a coffee brewer.) Slowly sprinkle 80 g of PVA powder into the hot water with vigorous magnetic stirring. Add slowly so as to avoid clumping of the material.
- Cover the beaker with plastic wrap and continue heating at60-80o C for 4-6 hours or until solution clears. Do not exceed 80o C. The time for dissolution varies considerably from as little as 1 hour to as much as 6 hours.
- The solution can be diluted while still warm to 2 L. A small amount of residual solid ("scum") does not seem to effect the performance of the slime.
From "Polymers All Around You"
- Sprinkle 40 grams of PVA into 1 liter of water.
- Heat the mixture and stir over moderately high heat. If it is still cloudy after an hour of heating, turn up the heat but be careful not to burn the solution.
- Allow the solution to cool before using. If a slimy or gooey layer appears on the top upon cooling, skim it off and discard. Store in a labeled, closed container, such as a two-liter soda bottle.