Anyone had any luck making Latex Rubber Balls using Latex solution and either vinegar or another acid? when I tried no matter how fast I mixed the 2 solutions together a skin would form on the outside of the ball and when you dropped it, the ball would shatter and the latex would spill out.
Please help
Thanks
Latex Balls
-
fibreweb
- Posts: 620
- Joined: 20 Jul 2006, 10:00
- School: Oxley High School
- Suburb: Tamworth
- State/Location: NSW
Re: Latex Balls
Several years ago one of our teachers wanted to do this prac so I got the latex and tried it out using the experiment guidline from Heinemenn 4 Interactive Science.
This used 2 M hydrochloric acid. There was a marked "Rotten egg gas" smell as I mixed the 2 chemicals.
As the rubber is moulded and squeezed into a ball the latex/acid mixture tended to squirt out everywhere. In my opinoin goggles and gloves essential as well as protection for clothing.
Then they will want to throw them at each other!!! Noting they are irregular shaped and tend to go in all sorts of directions when bounced.
The teacher at the time decided the risk was too great so the latex is still sitting in my chemical store.
It did however make a cool bouncy ball which is still sitting in my "miscellaneous" drawer.
Wendy
This used 2 M hydrochloric acid. There was a marked "Rotten egg gas" smell as I mixed the 2 chemicals.
As the rubber is moulded and squeezed into a ball the latex/acid mixture tended to squirt out everywhere. In my opinoin goggles and gloves essential as well as protection for clothing.
Then they will want to throw them at each other!!! Noting they are irregular shaped and tend to go in all sorts of directions when bounced.
The teacher at the time decided the risk was too great so the latex is still sitting in my chemical store.
It did however make a cool bouncy ball which is still sitting in my "miscellaneous" drawer.
Wendy
Re: Latex Balls
We do this experiment nearly every year from the science enrichment unit 8336, applied organic chemistry with no problems up until this year when a student managed to get acid in their eye. We have been making rubber balls successfully for as long as I can remember.
Use a syringe to put about 10mL of latex in a beaker and then add a pasteur pipette full of 2M HCl to it stirring all the time with a glass stirring rod. The rubber will stick to the stirring rod and you need to quickly take it off the rod and wash under running water to remove any traces of unreacted acid & latex all the while squeezing it into a ball with your fingers.
The kids love doing this prac and if everyone is careful there is no reason why they can't do it.
Have fun with it!!!!
Leanne
Use a syringe to put about 10mL of latex in a beaker and then add a pasteur pipette full of 2M HCl to it stirring all the time with a glass stirring rod. The rubber will stick to the stirring rod and you need to quickly take it off the rod and wash under running water to remove any traces of unreacted acid & latex all the while squeezing it into a ball with your fingers.
The kids love doing this prac and if everyone is careful there is no reason why they can't do it.
Have fun with it!!!!
Leanne
