Silicone Oil

[qwerty123]

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 !

[qwerty123]

hi,

 

does anyone have any ideas ? any help would be great

 

Thanks

[YT2095]

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?

[qwerty123]

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

[qwerty123]

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

[5614]

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.

[qwerty123]

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

[YT2095]

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.

[qwerty123]

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 !

[YT2095]

I gather you`ve looked here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silly_Putty

and it`s related links?

[qwerty123]

"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 ?

[YT2095]

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

[qwerty123]

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

[YT2095]

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!

[richard]

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

[qwerty123]

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?

[richard]

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.

[qwerty123]

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 !