Turn Milk into Plastic

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Description

Experiment to turn milk & vinegar into plastic as part of the Cub Scientist Badge


Resources

Milk
Vinegar
Strainer
Paper Towel

Instructions

1. Warm a Cup of Milk in the Microwave for 1.5 minutes
2. Stir in 4 tablespoons of vinegar
3.The milk will start to clump together as the acid in the vinegar starts to breakdown the protein
4. Stir for 1 minute
5. Strain the milk through a strainer. All the clumps will stay in the strainer and really push on them to get all the liquid out.
6. Transfer it to some paper towels and continue to press all the liquid out of the plastic milk
7. You can then shape it and colour it if you wish, using food colouring etc
8. Set them aside to dry for a good long while – about 2 nights – and then they were ready

What is happening

Milk contains many molecules of a protein called casein. When milk is heated and combined with an acid, such as vinegar, the casein molecules unfold and reorganize into a long chain. Each casein molecule is a monomer and the chain of casein monomers is a polymer. The polymer can be scooped up and moulded, which is why plastic made from milk is called casein plastic.

Relevance to solar energy
Proteins are a type of polymer and polymers are used to make plastics. Polymers are also used to make solar cells. Polymers have been designed to conduct electricity or absorb sunlight depending on what job is required of the molecules. Although plastics are often made from polymers obtained from crude oil, polymers do exist naturally and could perhaps be adapted to work in new technology like solar cells.

Discussion points

How much plastic do you use on a weekly basis, check out your recycling. Is it all necessary or could other materials have been used? What is the impact of this waste? How much gets recycled? What happens to those pieces that do not get recycled?


Tags

  • Plastic
  • science

Badge Links

  • Science - Naturalist - Demonstrate
  • Science - Naturalist - Effect of man
  • Science - Naturalist - Knowledge
  • Scientist - Vinegar