[Tweety]

Hi there  ,
this is my first post and I have to sincerely admit that I am not some great chemist.  I am trying to make this product at home:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50_-zqsgDA4

I obtained sand - natural quartz sand (grains 0.2mm)
and silicone oil - Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) in 100% form (I have one more viscous and one less, density is 970 kg/m3)

I am pretty much sure there are only these two ingredients involved.

Normal mixing oil with sand doesn't make the effect. I've also tried to cook it in oven (200°C for 30 minutes) with no success.

What would you suggest to try to get it mixed properly and make that great silly putty effect?

Thanks for anything

[Archer]

Hi there  ,
this is my first post and I have to sincerely admit that I am not some great chemist.  I am trying to make this product at home:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50_-zqsgDA4

I obtained sand - natural quartz sand (grains 0.2mm)
and silicone oil - Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) in 100% form (I have one more viscous and one less, density is 970 kg/m3)

I am pretty much sure there are only these two ingredients involved.

Normal mixing oil with sand doesn't make the effect. I've also tried to cook it in oven (200°C for 30 minutes) with no success.

What would you suggest to try to get it mixed properly and make that great silly putty effect?

Thanks for anything

I think from your description of failed experiments that perhaps there are more than two ingredients in this product.

[Tweety]

I pretty much think it is the way how to mix these two ingredients. Maybe they are using laser? Right now, I will try to dehydrate the sand in oven and then mix it with oil at room temperature.

The reason I think there are only these two ingredients is that it is a toy and they have to write what it is made of, it says sand and Polydimethylsiloxane

[Borek]

Most likely it is a clever selection of the sand with right properties (grains size/shape can play a role) and polydimethylsiloxane with a right viscosity/surface tension.

Why don't you just buy it?

[curiouscat]

The reason I think there are only these two ingredients is that it is a toy and they have to write what it is made of, it says sand and Polydimethylsiloxane

You seem right about the ingredients. Here's their MSDS.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/05bt15rarteiktq/MSDSKineticLQ.pdf

Try drying the sand completely and then mix and stir like hell.

[Tweety]

The reason I think there are only these two ingredients is that it is a toy and they have to write what it is made of, it says sand and Polydimethylsiloxane

You seem right about the ingredients. Here's their MSDS.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/05bt15rarteiktq/MSDSKineticLQ.pdf

Try drying the sand completely and then mix and stir like hell.

That's pretty much where I got..

[curiouscat]

That's pretty much where I got..

Evil minds think alike.. 

[Tweety]

Yeah it will be great if someone comes with a formula. I will try to add water to the process somehow

[billnotgatez]

Adding water when there is no indication on the MSDS seems counter productive.
But I am not standing in the way of experimenting.

[Arkcon]

Water is probably what is ruining your attempts to replicate this product.  Water simply won't mix with the plastic resin they're using.  You will have to rigorously dry the sand you're using -- for example, in a very low oven with lots of ventilation..  Like Borek: said, its unlikely they're using beach or river sand, maybe not even construction sand.  Years ago, there was a product called "moon sand" which had similar properties.  One of its secrets was that, while not actually from Earth's moon, it was physically similar.  Sand on earth is silicon dioxide tumbled over itself, giving rounded corners that tumble past each other on each particle.  The "moon sand" product was physically similar to the lunar regolith -- very sharp edges, that can interlock over short ranges.

[curiouscat]

Water is probably what is ruining your attempts to replicate this product.  Water simply won't mix with the plastic resin they're using.  You will have to rigorously dry the sand you're using -- for example, in a very how oven with lots of ventilation..  Like Borek: said, its unlikely they're using beach or river sand, maybe not even construction said.  Years ago, there was a product called "moon sand" which had similar properties.  One of its secrets was that, while not actually from Earth's moon, it was physically similar.  Sand on earth is silicon dioxide tumbled over itself, giving rounded corners that tumble past each other on each particle.  The "moon sand" product was physically similar to the lunar regolith -- very sharp edges, that can interlock over short ranges.

Note that one of the warnings on the product's website admonish to keep it away from water.

I agree with @Arkon here. Stay away from water.

[sern]

If you do have any luck, let us know.  It would be nice to replace play-dough with this.

[Propaganda]

I'm interested in reproducing this at home. Although the makers of the Kinetic Sand product state that only 2 ingredients are used, there has to be more. Polydimethylsiloxane may be responsible for the flow properties, but it does not have the properties that are binding the Kinetic Sand together. I am guessing borax may possibly be the binding chemical just like in silly putty.

[Propaganda]

I've had another look at this and I've found out (just as I suspected) that another chemical is involved... Boric acid, just like in Silly Putty. The other ingredient is hydroxy-terminated polydimethylsiloxane and not just polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The boric acid acts as a cross-linking agent for the mixture. I've had a search and hydroxy-terminated polydimethylsiloxane looks difficult to get hold of unless your buying in bulk so making this at home may not be practicle.

[MrsTommie]

I don't know if this matters but the kinetic sand does appear different under a microscope than standard play sand. It is more uniform in grain size and has a more glassy look.  The play sand grains are more cloudy.  Both have similarly rounded grains.