Is it possible to create a balloon in the shape of a cube?

[NPK]

Is it possible to create a balloon in the shape of a cube, using only balloon material?

So that when you blow it up, it has no curves at all - all straight sides.

[YT2095]

I`ve seen it done with Soap Bubbles, but it only applies to the Inside dimensions and not the outside one.

[swansont]

The balloon will tend to form a shape that minimizes the energy. You'd need a material that was anisotropic, i.e. the restoring force was different in different directions, to get different shapes.

[gcol]

Here is a possible "PCS" type answer:

 

A perfect cube only exists in theory. A cube made from physical material can only ever be an approximation. So perhaps the answer would be:

"How good an approximation would you settle for?"

[insane_alien]

could probably be done with some sort of expandable frame. but that would limit the lower and upper limits of the balloon. would also make it too heavy.

[NPK]

Here is a possible "PCS" type answer:

 

A perfect cube only exists in theory. A cube made from physical material can only ever be an approximation. So perhaps the answer would be:

"How good an approximation would you settle for?"

As long as it looks like a cube, with no noticeable curves and bulges.

[Phi for All]

Mylar is a balloon material. It could be done in mylar with some inner structuring involved.

 

In latex, as swansont mentioned, you'd need differing thicknesses to keep it from... ballooning out in a sphere. If your latex cube had thin edges and thick sides (thickening even more as they get to the center of the side) it might work.

 

Alternatively, you could blow a normal balloon up inside a wooden box, then freeze it with liquid nitrogen and remove the box. Pretty short-lived though, and it violates your "using only balloon material" caveat.

[gcol]

Alternatively, you could blow a normal balloon up inside a wooden box, then freeze it with liquid nitrogen and remove the box. Pretty short-lived though, and it violates your "using only balloon material" caveat.

 

You beat me to it, but I was going to say:

balloon in box, some catalytic resin in balloon, inflate balloon, swirl around, when set remove box, you dont even have to tie up the neck of the balloon.

[ecoli]

how about outer stucture? Blow up a baloon inside of a box. If filled up enough, the baloon would be forced to take the shape of the box, no?

[Bettina]

Does the balloon need to be in a deflated initial state then blown up square? I'm asuming it does.

 

Bet

[Bettina]

I have an idea that may work

 

Cut out six squares of mylar balloon material and put them together to make a cube but were not done yet so don't glue it all. This material does not stretch very much, yet is flexible enough to compact to something small.

 

Inside this "balloon" you are going to add four rectangular shape balloons (the kind you make balloon animals with) so one end connects to one corner of the cube while the other end connects diagonally opposite to the other end of the cube.

 

The theory is that when you blow up the internal balloons, they will push out on all of the corners of the mylar balloon forming your perfect cube.

 

I'm not sure how to blow up the internal balloons unless you make those too so one inlet blows them all up.

 

We have used only balloon material, and it can be compacted and blown up later.

 

I think this would work.

 

Bettina

[prion]

must be possible.

for example

[NPK]

must be possible.

for example

We're talking about balloons, not hot air balloons.

[John Cuthber]

I don't see why that makes a difference. Surely you could take one of those hot air baloons, stitch the bottom shut (leving only a small hole) then fill it with air.

[Bluenoise]

It should be possible if you use a balloon with varrying thickness of rubber along it's surface. Have it thickest in the center of the sides with a thickness gradient that drops toowards where you want the edges to be.