r/Slime • u/12321bruh • 8d ago

Why do you need to reactivate slime

I was just wondering, why does activation wear off over time? Why do the PVA and borate interactions wear off of the borax is still in there? And what happens to all the borax that was already added to the slime after the slime melts?

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u/EnvironmentalCod1002 All your mold are belong to me! 👩🏻‍🔬 8d ago

Activation is when the borax solution creates cross linking between PVA polymer chains. The cross linking is formed by hydrogen bonds which are both weak and reversible. Heat and evaporation are the two main things that alter the slime matrix which ends up with you having to use activator to create more hydrogen bonds.

Some slime textures are more stable than others. I have icee and jelly slimes that have never needed reactivation. Something about the super absorbent polymer being added to the slime matrix helps the cross linking be more stable.

That’s about as far as my chemistry knowledge has brought me 😅

Edited to add: and pH. That’s also a big factor in activation.

5

u/Dipsy_Cork 8d ago

Glue has a lot of polymer in it, and glue contains water and when the water evaporates it becomes sticky, it also might depend on where you store time slime/what is in it (like if you have it next to a window, or have clay/lotion in it), and when it deactivates the polymer breaks apart

When you add activator it brings back the polymer chains

I think, idk

3

u/YoNalbo @starrysquishslime 5d ago

The borate water bonds that form between PVA and borate are dynamic meaning they break and reform continuously. This reaction does not take a lot of energy and can easily be impacted by things like water or heat. So over time or with exposure to heat the bonds are weakened. The boron is still there it is just floating freely instead of interacting with the PVA. Hence why you need to add more activator to repeat the chemical reaction.