10ml distilled water 0. 5-1. 5g glycerol 1. 5g cornstarch 1ml of white vinegar 1-2 drops food coloring Adult supervision is recommended.
If you add the wrong amounts of ingredients, just dispose of the mixture and start again.
Remove the mixture from the heat when it becomes clear and thick. Total heating time will be around 10-15 minutes. Lumps may begin to form if the mixture gets overheated. Add one-two drops of food coloring at this stage, if you would like to color the plastic.
Remove any bubbles that you see by poking them with a toothpick.
Leave the plastic in a cool, dry place for this process. Check the plastic after two days to see if it has fully hardened.
3g (½ tsp) glycerol 12g (4 tsp) gelatin or agar 60ml (¼ cup) hot water Food coloring (optional) Agar is a substance derived from algae that can be used in place of gelatin to make the bioplastic vegan friendly
If you want to color your plastic, you can add a few drops of food coloring at this step.
Continue to stir the mixture while it is heating up.
If you just want to make plastic for fun, pour the mixture out onto a smooth surface. Make sure the surface is covered with foil or parchment paper so the plastic can be removed easily. If you want to mold the plastic into a specific shape, you will need to do it during this step. Refer to the last method on molding for more details and help.
Once the plastic hardens, it can no longer be molded or shaped. If you want to shape it, you must do it while it is still warm and moldable.
An alternative to making your own mold, is to purchase a mold at a craft or hobby shop.
To make the object easier to remove when it dries, coat the mold with a non-stick spray before pouring the plastic in.
After two days, check the plastic. If it still appears to be wet, let it sit for another day and check it again. Continue to do this until the plastic is fully dry.
You can reuse this mold to make as many plastic versions of the object as you like.
