Moisture-proof Kinetic Sand is a scientific mystery to most people.
It’s a pretty strange phenomenon, considering most people know wet sand sticks together. But is Kinetic Sand hydrophobic?
Hydrophobic, as the name suggests, means water-hating or non-polar. Water being a polar material, a non-polar material does not get attracted by water.
To test for hydrophobicity, we used a water droplet on a highly hydrophobic surface, which was not affected by the drop of water.
Let’s get started!
Is Kinetic Sand Hydrophobic?
Kinetic Sand is hydrophobic. It is made of 98% sand and 2% poly(dimethylsiloxane) or silicone oil.
The 2% poly(dimethylsiloxane) present in Kinetic Sand is non-polar material, and it makes Kinetic Sand hydrophobic.
What is Kinetic Sand?
Kinetic Sand, also known as squeezable Sand and touchable Sand, is a sand-like mixture made from 98% sand and 2% non-toxic polymer.
This combination results in the sand that feels and behaves like real Sand but can be molded into shapes as if it were plasticine.
Kinetic Sand is a tactile, child-safe material that can be squeezed and molded into sandcastles, animals, letters, and more. It is also called “Sand you can play with by hand.” It is easy to clean up and will not dry out.
Is Kinetic Sand waterproof?
Yes, Kinetic Sand is hydrophobic and will not absorb water. Kinetic Sand is made from a polymer called silicone. Silicone is a non-polar material.
Water is polar, and it has a positive charge on one end and a negative charge on the other. If you put the two opposite polarities together, you get a reaction.
The reaction is the absorption of water by the kinetic Sand. Now, remember that kinetic Sand is a non-polar material. The polymer doesn’t have a positive or negative charge, so the water molecules do not react.
It passes right through the Sand, and the Sand will not absorb it. Technically, you could put water in a container with kinetic Sand in it, and it would stay the same way it was before.
It would not absorb any of the water, and it would not change the consistency of the Sand.
Is kinetic Sand polar or non-polar?
The sand particles present in Kinetic Sand are polar and are similar to polar bonds present in water molecules made of Hydrogen.
However, the Kinetic Sand has 2% poly(dimethylsiloxane), which is non-polar, making the kinetic Sand Hydrophobic.
Conclusion
Let’s conclude the post on kinetic Sand hydrophobic!
Kinetic Sand is a huge fad at the moment. It’s one of those products that has crossed the line from a marketed product to a product marketed to children, but adults love it too!
The product is Sand that is being sold in a huge bucket that mimics a pool of Sand. The Sand is unique and comes with many benefits that you would not expect.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post.
