Description
- Science Gong Fun Sodium polyacrylate is a water-soluble polymer.
- Sodium Polyacrylate super absorbent polymer can absorb about 800 times its weight of water.
- Use chemistry to uncover the mystery behind sodium polyacrylate's ability to attract water and turn it from the liquid into "solid."
- Sodium polyacrylate is the main ingredient used to "keep baby dry" in baby diapers.
- Watch the video in this list when you can do this experiment at your home or in your classroom. The addition of salts of sodium or calcium reverses the swelling process. Water is no longer needed inside the polymer to balance the salt concentration, so the structure collapses or deflates.
- Holiday Gift: A fun, compact, and unique gift idea for children and adults.
- Kids Birthday Parties: Fun activity or decoration for a magical and interactive experience.
- Family Gatherings: Entertain both kids and adults with a hands-on activity.
- Science Fairs and School Projects: Perfect for demonstrating the science of polymers and chemistry experiments.
Science Gong Fun Sodium polyacrylate is an example of a super-absorbing polymer. It is a cross-linked (network) polymer that contains sodium atoms. It absorbs water by a process called osmosis. When the (sodium-containing) polymer is placed in contact with water, there is a tendency for the sodium to distribute equally between the network and the water. That means some sodium atoms want to leave the network and move to the water. When these sodium atoms leave, they are replaced with water molecules. Water swells the polymer network to keep the sodium concentration balanced between the polymer and the water. The cross-links that connect the chains prevent them from dissolving/breaking apart in the water. Sodium polyacrylate can absorb 800 times its weight in distilled water but only 300 times its weight in tap water since tap water contains some sodium, calcium, and other mineral salts.