• Activators are usually made from borax and water.
• Some slime recipes use boric acid and water.
• Contact lens solution can be used as a first aid activator.
  

Borax Solution.

The principle of borax, boric acid, and contact lens solution to activate slime is that they contain boron, which reacts chemically with PVA. Borax contains more boron in the same mass.

• Efficient and stable reaction: The reaction between borax solution and polyvinyl alcohol is rapid and stable
• Easy to control: The hardness of the slime can be controlled by adjusting the concentration of the solution
• Good for the life of slime: After borax is dissolved in water, the borax solution is alkaline, which is good for the stability of slime. Slime likes alkalinity.

Dissolve the borax powder in purified water at 60-80 degrees Celsius.

The mass concentration of borax solution is 2%-5%, which depends on your PVA glue.

Example:

2g of borax is dissolved in 100g of water to obtain a 2% concentration of borax activator.

This is a physical phenomenon of crystal precipitation. Usually, the lowering of ambient temperature causes the solubility of borax to decrease, resulting in the appearance of borax crystals.

1. Adjust pH: neutralize the acidic environment of the glue (including PVA) and create alkaline conditions suitable for cross-linking reaction.
2. Extend the life of slime.
3. Improve the situation where slime is too soft and sticky.

Slime becomes hard and brittle and cannot be stretched.

1. Glycerin can soften the slime, make the surface of the slime smooth.
2. Reduce stickiness.
3. Lock the moisture in the slime and extend the life of the slime.

1. Slime becomes too soft and sticky.
2. Slime loses its elasticity.
3. Slime becomes too wet.
4. Causes the activator to be unable to activate the slime.

The amount of glycerin added is 1%~5% of the total amount of glue.

It can be added after the slime has been formed, so that the amount of glycerin added can be controlled according to the texture of the slime.

1. You can use baby oil or hand cream instead, but such slime cannot be preserved for a long time.
2. Use self-coated glue to make slime, such as Korean glue. Or our Colour Slime's Putty Glue, just add borax solution to make thick, self-coated slime.

1. Add Glycerin
2. Add Sorbitol
3. Add toothpaste
4. Add potassium citrate

Sorbitol softens slime more effectively than glycerin. About 1g of sorbitol is added to every 100g of over-activated slime. You can clearly feel the slime softening.

Generally, freshly made slime is alkaline and will become acidic over time.

• Acidic Slime: Softer, shorter lifespan.
• Alkaline Slime: Harder, more stable.

7-8 is the best.

By the way, the pH of the slime we made is 7-8.5.

• Become sticky
• Lose elasticity
• Become a solution (like water)
• The solution is layered, sticky below, and water-like above.

Slime is accelerating towards death.

When the pH value of slime is lower than 5, the skin will feel burning if in contact for a long time.

You can add some baking soda, which is alkaline and can balance the pH.

1. Place a small portion of slime in a small amount of water for 5-10 minutes. Make sure the pH of the water and slime are consistent.
   
2. Drop a drop of water on the pH test paper and judge the pH value based on the color change of the test paper.

This is a quick method with a margin of error.

Yes, the main ingredients of slime glue are PVA and water.

1. First, you need to confirm the PVA mode.
2. Dissolve PVA powder to make PVA solution, which is slime glue.
3. Activate Slime Using Borax Activator.

PVA and Water

Clear slime comprises clear PVA (glue), activator, and other materials.
The molecular chain of clear PVA is relatively long, and the chain segments are easy to slide and adhere to the skin.

This also leads to the lower cross-linking density of clear and a loose cross-linking network (similar to a loose fishing net), which makes it easier for the molecular chains to have more contact points with the skin surface, resulting in a stronger sticky feel.

Compared with white glue (containing fillers such as plasticizers), transparent PVA has no interference from impurities and cross-links with boron more thoroughly.

It is self-coated, so the slime made is not sticky.

Slime made with Korean glue is generally thin. This is because the glue used is made with low molecular weight PVA. The higher the molecular weight of PVA, the stickier it is. This also means that Korean glue requires a low concentration of borax activator to activate, which makes it difficult for beginners to use.

Korean glue's transparency is not as good as Elmer's clear glue and is somewhat milky white. This is because surfactants are added to Korean glue, and the slime is self-coated.

We: Colour Slime's Putty Glue

Self-developed and self-produced, the transparency is higher than that of Korean clear slime, and the slime produced is self-coated, thicker, and has a longer life.

Good fault tolerance, insensitive to the concentration of borax activator, and will not be over-activated even with a slight overdose. Newbies can easily use it and become slime masters.

The chemical reaction of borax and PVA can be simply understood as borate and PVA share a hydroxyl group (-OH), but this relationship is not stable, and the link will be broken over time.

The physics of slime we see:

1. Become sticky
2. Lose elasticity
3. Become solution (like water)
4. The solution is layered, sticky below and water-like above.

At this time, the pH value of the slime has also changed.

• If the slime is still alkaline, the borate is dispersed in the solution.
• If the slime is neutral, it will contain boric acid and borate, maintaining a dynamic balance.

If we stir the slime, the borate and PVA to cross-link again. The slime is revived.

• If the slime becomes acidic. The borate will combine with hydrogen bonds to generate boric acid and water. That is point 4, you need to add baking soda, PVA glue or borax to rescue the slime.

The above is just a rough principle. The actual situation is much more complicated. There are too many additives, preservatives, flavors, bacteria, etc. in slime, which will affect the stability of slime.

Prevent slime from sticking to your hands

• Glycerin
• Contact solution