Starch Plastic 2.0- Pressure Cooker Hacking

Step 3 Mix up a plastic batch!

The starch we will be using was a free sample from National Starch Food Innovation called Hylon VI. I usually experimented with a 25:25:1 ratio of water to starch to glycerin by weight, with adjusting the amount of glycerin more yielding a more ductile plastic and less yielding a stiffer harder plastic. Then pour that into a Pyrex beaker and put that into the pressure cooker. Fill the pressure cooker with water till it reaches the bottom of the beaker (about 1/2 inch of water). Then fit your modified top on and start cranking up the heat while observing all the safety rules. When your temperature or pressure gauge reads 320F or 55psi respectively turn off the heat and release the steam out of the valve. When all the steam i gone remove the lid with hot pan holders and pour your hot gel resin into the mold of your choice. Let it cool and harden for several hours them remove and enjoy!
*Note I am still going to be revising this instructable as I do more experiments so keep checking back for more data.

Comments

[DaboJones]

Good job, interesting product! How well does it age? Does it noticeably fall apart within a month/year? Any progress on removing bubbles? This really could save me some cash for getting things pre-fabbed.

[robobadger]

have you tried making an aluminum oxide ceramic with this? You can use sand blasting Aluminum Oxide with it to increase the strength possibly. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California scientists found that by freeze drying the aluminum oxide resin mixture then heating it under pressure they got an extremely strong ceramic. Might be worth a try with your potato plastic.

[darksparc]

You should be able to get rid of the bubbles by pulling a vacuum on the container. You will need a vacuum pump as a shop vac will not take the atmosphere down enough. As the pressure in the container reduces the bubbles will expand and pop. All the smaller bubbles will be pulled to the surface.

[DELETED_PeeWeeBee]

(removed by author or community request)

[Brandon121233]

i guess i can try it