Sodium Silicon Polymer Lab Investigation

During this polymer lab (investigation), which is the second one in a week, I had the hypothesis that the sodium silicon would mix with the ethanol and cause a "moist" or slightly wet ball that would be colored white and would easily mold because it would be moist and it is going to become a ball. Also, the color white would probably have occurred no matter what because the sodium silicon is a translucent, white-ish liquid. It was, in a way, correct as for the color and shape. When the chemical reaction occurred between the silicon and the ethanol, it cause hard but slightly soft solid to form, and it took the color of white. It was crystal-like and it easily broke apart until water was put on it because the alcohol took the water out of the silicon, as seen below.

Both images showcase the mixture of ethanol alcohol and sodium silicon, letting you see how fragile and breakable the solid is. As an added bonus, if you mix it with a bit of water, it will be less breakable at a grease-like price.

Questions:

1. What characteristics are similar between two types of polymers you have made? Differences?

2. Most commercial polymers are carbon based. What similar properties do carbon and silicon share may contribute to their abilities to polymerize.

3. Plastics are made of organic (carbon based) polymers. What similar does the silicone polymer share with plastic?

4. How do you know that a chemical reaction had taken place when the two liquids mixed?

5. How could you find out what liquid was pressed out of the mass of crumbled solid as you form the ball?

6. Compare your ball with those of the other members of the class. How many properties can you compare (e.g.,diameter of sphere versus height of bounce) ? List and Compare them.

Answers:

1. The balls both bounced at around the same height, each going a combined average of 17 cm. They both bounced pretty well and had a slightly higher or same rebound after being chilled. Both balls were white and rounded, but there were a large amount of differences. First of all, the first polymer ball that mixed glue and borax was much easier to mold, but was sticky. Also, it was consistent and rubber-like while still being soft for a long time. It retained a lot of moisture very well. As for this test, the alcohol and silicon ball was breaking commonly and was fragile, but when moistened, it molded slightly into a ball, and gave troubles nonetheless. It was like a hard rubber bouncy ball rather than the soft marshmallow like glue and borax ball.

2. Silicon mimics carbon and makes four chemical bonds, and they branch out in many directions to make lengthly chains. When sodium is silicate, the atoms are bonded to four oxygen atoms and they are not linked to chains whatsoever. The alcohol molecule is very minuscule in complexity, and when combined with the silicate molecule, they begin to link together to make polymers.

3. Plastics can actually be made from silicon and those types of atoms, so if they are combined with other things such as ethanol, plastics can be formed.

4. I knew a chemical reaction occurred because, as the alcohol and the silicon mixed, it became hardened and formed crystal like substances.

5. As the ball was squashed I could tell that the water was squeezed out because when the water was mixed in to moisten the ball, alcohol dries the water and forces it to soak out of it.

6. Comparing my table's ball to table 2, my ball was much more formed into a sphere and was easier to mold, whereas the table 2 ball was harder to mold and kept breaking apart. Also, the table 2 ball wasn't shaped into a nice sphere as my table's ball was. This caused our ball to bounce higher.