Sodium Silicate Polymer Lab

In the Sodium Silicate lab, we crated a polymer by combining Sodium Silicate (Na2Si3O7in H2O) with Ethyl to create a polymer. This occurred when two oxygen atoms of silicate are replaced by ethyl with loss of water. The sodium silicate polymer had some very different attributes than the polymer formed with polyvinyl acetate. Both were white, but the sodium silicate polymer was more of a hazy, crystalline structure than the putty-like, solid white polymer previously formed. The polymer that was formed more recently (although very crumbly at first,) was firmer and had more rebound than the one formed on tuesday. The polymer formed on tuesday had an increase in rebound after being chilled, today's had less of a rebound. I think that this is because today's was more brittle from the beginning, while yesterday's had been more squishy initially, so when it chilled, it became only slightly hard and actually did something for the polymer's rebound (as compared to today, when it just made it even more hard, lessening the rebound.) Another difference between the two polymers is the firmness of the polymers. The first one made was easily molded and sculpted, but with the more recent one, you had to apply a considerable amount of pressure to make an indent if it was molded properly. One thing that the silicon and the carbon is that they both have four chemical bonds available. You could tell a chemical reaction occurred because the matter changed states from a solid to a moldable solid