The University of Maryland MRSEC grants ended in September 2013 after 17 years of successful operation. This site remains as a history of the center, but will not be actively maintained.

University of Maryland

University of Maryland

Materials Research Science and Engineering Center

Maryland Day

Maryland Day, April 28, 2012, 10am - 4pm, rain or shine!

Our Silly Putty Recipe:

Click here for a printer-friendly version of this recipe

You Will Need:

Water
Elmer's Glue
Borax (in laundry section of store - 20 Mule Team Borax detergent is in a green and yellow box)
Food Coloring
Disposable Spoons and Cups
Measuring devices

Directions:

  1. Fill a 6-8 oz. Styrofoam cup with approximately a ¼ of an inch of Elmer's glue
  2. Use a graduated cylinder and measure out 10 mL of water and add it to the glue
  3. Stir well
  4. Add 1-2 drops of food coloring to glue/water mixture
  5. Using a graduated cylinder, measure 5 mL of sodium borate solution. Add to glue mixture and stir well*
  6. Take mixture out of cup and knead with hands
  7. Store silly putty in plastic bag
*If mixture is still very runny after step 5, add just a few more drops of the borate solution.


Borate Solution:

Mix 2 tbsp of borax and 236 ml of warm water (~1 cup)

Conversions:
1 tbsp = ~15 ml
1 tsp = ~5 ml

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