Making of materials

Swamini Nagare

Material is a substance or mixture of substance that constitutes an object. It is an important element to form a physical object. The field of materials is immense and diverse. Materials by themselves do nothing, yet without materials man can do nothing. Materials have different properties and how these different properties come together and form a composite material. When a composite material goes through different techniques and processes, results in a different form, texture and properties.

This research intends to form a composite material using different techniques and proportions. In the process of forming a material, the main material used was starch. I used different types of starch throughout the experiments like corn starch and tapioca. At the start of my exploration corn starch was the main material used with different materials like newspaper (soaked and dry), wax, cotton. Synthetic materials like plastic and nylon were added to corn starch and see how they bind. I used same materials with tapioca. Different processes were used like heating, baking, ironing, blow-drying, etc. With all these experiments I came up with the following questions: -

How different techniques affect the material?

Can we use the household materials in construction?

Every material has a limitation, can we fulfil all the limitations of a material?

Cornstarch with water

In this experiment, cornstarch and water were added in equal proportions. this mixture was added in a cake tin forming a thin layer i.e. process A

Rest of the mixture was added to cup cake tin forming a solid object i.e. process B.

This mixture was baked for 15-20mins at 180° C.

Observation:

The upper layer which was in direct contact of heat was dried.

The lower layer was moist and the texture was similar to slime.

Cornstarch with newspaper(soaked)

In experiment A, B and C, I used soaked newspaper.

In experiment A , I used newspaper and cornstarch in different proportions. Then these circular shapes were baked for 20 mins at 180 °C.

Observation: In the mixture where the proportion of cornstarch was more, the resultant product was much harder compared to other two products.

In experiment B, newspaper was added to the oobleck and then the rectangular sheet was baked for 20 mins at 180 °C.

Observation: The sheet did not bind well because of the paper size and the sheet was not baked evenly.

In experiment C, cornstarch and water was heated and later bit size newspaper pieces were added to it and was baked 20 mins at 180 °C.

Observation: The sheet was baked evenly and you could bend it easily and give a certain shape ( there is a time limitation for the process of bending and giving a shape).

Baking with cornstarch

In these experiments baking ingredients like baking soda, baking powder and yeast were used.

In experiment A, piping technique was used to make a form.

Observation: There was a slight rise in the process of baking and it was porous from inside.

In experiment B, yeast was also added to the mixture and then poured in cake tin and baked for 30 mins at 180°C.

Observation: There was a rise while baking, but the process failed because it was sticky and got stuck in the container.

Cornstarch with wax

In experiment A, cornstarch and wax was mixed together.

Observation: We could shape the mixture, but in limited time. Also the final product was hard and water insoluble.

In experiment B, newspaper was also added in the cornstarch and was mixture. Then the mixture was poured in paper cup.

Observation: It was hard after cooling and was water insoluble.

Trying to make a form

In these experiments, mixture of cornstarch( heated with water) and newspaper was used to create a form.

In experiment A, a thin sheet was formed and then this sheet was placed over a bowl to give it a particular form.

Observation: When the shape got dried completely, it had an uneven surface.

In experiment B, piping technique was used where in first case, a spiral form was made and in the second case, small shapes came together to make a bigger form. These experiments dried naturally.

Observation: As there were gaps in between, it shattered.

In experiment C, same process as experiment B was conducted but instead was baked for 20 mins at 180°C.

Observation: The final product was harder as compared to experiment B, but it shattered because of the gaps in between.

Keeping the form constant

In these experiments, form was kept constant i.e. hemisphere and different materials and techniques were used.

In experiment A, materials used were cornstarch( first heated with water) and newspaper and papad making machine was used to make a flat sheet. Later this sheet was placed on aluminum hemisphere to make the form and baked for 30 mins at 180°C.

Observation: When the hemisphere got dried completely, it had an uneven surface.

In experiment B, materials used were coconut coir and wax. The mixture was heated and then poured into the aluminum mould.

Observation: It was hard after cooling and was water insoluble.

In experiment C, materials used were tissue paper, rice paste and cornstarch. The tool was made out of sun board and toothpick and the hemisphere was formed using the tool. It was dried using a blow dryer.

Observation: It was very moist even after blow drying and was soggy after sometime.

Using synthetic material(Part 1)

In these experiments, I tried to explore how synthetic materials come together with cornstarch.

In experiment A , plastic thread was added with cornstarch and heated together with water. Then this mixture was ironed to remove the moisture.

In experiment B, nylon threads were added to cornstarch and heated together with water. Then the mixture was baked for 20 mins at 200°C.

In experiment C, pieces of plastic bag was added with cornstarch and the mixture was heated with water and then baked for 20 mins at 200°C.

Observation: All these experiments failed because synthetic materials melt at different temperature as compared to cornstarch.

Using synthetic materials (Part 2)

In these experiments ironing technique was used.

In the experiment A, thick cornstarch paste was made by heating and then nylon threads were added to it. Then it was placed on aluminum sheet and heated by using the iron.

Observation: A thin sheet was formed, but it didn't bind well.

In experiment B, nylon threads were added to cornstarch oobleck and then heated using iron.

Observation: The experiment failed because it didn't bind well.

In experiment C, plastic was added to the cornstarch oobleck and then heated using iron.

Observation: It formed a sheet but the plastic didn't bind well with cornstarch.

In experiment D, thick cornstarch paste was made by heating and then plastic was added. Then it was heated using iron.

Observation: It formed a sheet and the materials came together well as compared to experiment C.

Tapioca and cornstarch

In these experiments, cornstarch and tapioca were mixed in equal proportions.

A thin sheet was formed and also a solid form was tried using the mould.

Observation: In case of the sheet a thin and crisp sheet was formed.

In case of the mould, quite hard object was formed.

Exploring tapioca

In these experiments, tapioca was used. First the tapioca is soaked overnight., then it is heated with water forming a dense mixture.

A thin sheet was formed and also a solid form was tried using the mould.

Observation: In case of the sheet a thin and crisp sheet was formed.

In case of the mould, sticky mixture was formed.

Adding plastic to tapioca

In this experiment, tapioca and plastic was mixed together and later a sheet was formed. This sheet was heated using iron.

Observation: Only the sticky mixture was left behind with the plastic.

Tapioca with newspaper and cotton

In these experiments , I added tapioca with newspaper i.e. in experiment A and tapioca and cotton i.e. in experiment B.

These sheets were baked for 30 mins at 200°C.

Observation: The sheet after baking was so hard and crisp that it was very difficult to remove it from the tray.

FINAL OBSERVATION:

In case of cornstarch, you can use by simply adding water to it or also use it by heating

After heating you need to immediately use it or else it thickens and cannot be further used.

In case of tapioca, You need to first soak tapioca overnight before using it .

To obtain the starch you need to boil the tapioca with water till its seeds become translucent.

Also you can use it after boiling because when it is hot its is more in a liquid form and it thickens when it cools down.

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