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Polymers - Poly(ethenol) - Slime.

Poly(ethenol) will react with borax to make slime.

Borax is sodium tetraborate - Na2B4O7.
When borax is put into water it forms B(OH)4- ions.
These ions interact with the OH groups and make cross links
between the poly(ethenol) chains forming slime.
This type of interaction is called hydrogen bonding.
In hydrogen bonding the attraction between the H and the O
is weaker than a covalent bond.

Slime

 

Using more borax gives a greater number of cross links
and a higher viscosity of the slime.

Viscosity is a measure of how easily something flows.
Water has a low viscosity and thick syrup has a high viscosity.

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