Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) laundry bags are used in hospitals to minimize
the contact hospital workers have with contaminated clothing and bedding. Dirty items are put into these special bags, which are then placed directly into the washing machine. Because polyvinyl alcohol is soluble in water, the bags dissolve and are washed down the drain with the dirty water. At the completion of the washing cycle, the clean clothes are removed from the washing machine. To make SLIME, these polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) laundry bags are dissolved in hot water, to make a polyvinyl alcohol solution. This solution contains long-chain polymers (imagine a pot full of spaghetti) which makes it viscous. When this solution is mixed with a small amount of Borax solution, the borax molecules cause the PVA polymer chains to get connected to one another forming even longer chain-like molecules. This causes the PVA to become even more viscous and gooey. Directions: Directions: To make SLIME, add the Borax solution to the PVA solution while continuing to stir. Continue adding Borax solution drop by drop until the PVA solution is no longer a liquid, but more like SLIME. Precautions: Precautions: Your SLIME is made of PVA and if you leave it exposed to air for a long time, it will begin to dry out. Therefore, when you are not playing with it, you should store it in a plastic ziplock bag. As with any science experiment, your slime should not be consumed! Do not taste it or eat it, and do not leave it where a pet or young children might find it. Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) polymer: SLIME Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) laundry bags are used in hospitals to minimize the contact hospital workers have with contaminated clothing and bedding. Dirty items are put into these special bags, which are then placed directly into the washing machine. Because polyvinyl alcohol is soluble in water, the bags dissolve and are washed down the drain with the dirty water. At the completion of the washing cycle, the clean clothes are removed from the washing machine. To make SLIME, these polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) laundry bags are dissolved in hot water, to make a polyvinyl alcohol solution. This solution contains long-chain polymers (imagine a pot full of spaghetti) which makes it viscous. When this solution is mixed with a small amount of Borax solution, the borax molecules cause the PVA polymer chains to get connected to one another forming even longer chain-like molecules. This causes the PVA to become even more viscous and gooey. Directions: Directions: To make SLIME, add the Borax solution to the PVA solution while continuing to stir. Continue adding Borax solution drop by drop until the PVA solution is no longer a liquid, but more like SLIME. Precautions: Precautions: Your SLIME is made of PVA and if you leave it exposed to air for a long time, it will begin to dry out. Therefore, when you are not playing with it, you should store it in a plastic ziplock bag. As with any science experiment, your slime should not be consumed! Do not taste it or eat it, and do not leave it where a pet or young children might find it.