Making Slime

This activity demonstrates polymer chemistry by making slime from glue, baking soda, and contact lens solution. Crosslinking between polymer chains in glue changes the liquid into a stretchy, rubbery material with unique properties.

1. In a mixing bowl, combine ½ cup of washable school glue with ½ cup of water. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired.
2. Stir in ½ teaspoon of baking soda until dissolved.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of contact lens solution (must contain boric acid and sodium borate) and stir vigorously.
4. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens and begins to pull away from the bowl.
5. Knead the slime with your hands for 5–10 minutes until it becomes less sticky and more elastic.
6. Store finished slime in an airtight container to keep it from drying out.

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• Add glitter for sparkly slime.
• Mix in glow-in-the-dark paint or thermochromic pigment for color-changing slime.
• Use tonic water for slime that glows under black light.
• Replace water with shaving cream to make “fluffy” slime.
• Adjust the amount of contact lens solution to change the slime’s texture and stretchiness.

• Wear safety goggles if working with children to prevent splashes.
• Do not eat slime or its ingredients.
• Wash hands after handling slime.
• Dispose of leftover slime in the trash—never down the drain, as it may clog pipes.
• Keep contact lens solution out of eyes; it contains borates which can be irritating.

• What role does the contact lens solution play in making slime? (It contains borate compounds that crosslink the glue’s polymers.)
• Why does kneading change the slime’s texture? (It allows the crosslinking reaction to progress evenly throughout the mixture.)
• How do added ingredients like shaving cream or glitter affect slime’s properties? (They change texture, appearance, and elasticity.)
• How is slime an example of a polymer? (It consists of long chains of molecules linked together, similar to plastics and rubbers.)