POLYDIMETHYLSILOXANE

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AKA: Silly Putty

Facts:

– Known as ‘Potty Putty’ in England

– Is a viscoelastic liquid, which means it will act as a liquid over long periods of time, but as a solid in the short term.

– A good demonstration of the above can be found here

– After a long period of inactivity, silly putty will turn into a pool of silicone.

– Erotic art employing silly putty can be found here and here. (NOT SAFE FOR WORK). I do not know if these pieces are still in tact.

– I personally prefer silly putty art like this.

– From the MIT page on silly putty:

Ironically, it was only after its success as a toy that practical uses were found for Silly Putty®. It picks up dirt, lint and pet hair, and can stabilize wobbly furniture; but it has also been used in stress-reduction and physical therapy, and in medical and scientific simulations. The crew of Apollo 8 even used it to secure tools in zero-gravity.

– I use silly putty as a stress reliever, as a nail-biting deterrent, and as a public speaking tool. I also play with it in classes while I am thinking. Prof. Wagner does the same with a Slinky, which is really the Fintstones to Silly Putty’s Jetsons.

– Silly putty absorbs dead skin cells after constant use, making it sticky. The average piece of silly putty lasts 3 days of constant use before becoming too sticky and viscous to be sanitary. I stick used silly putty on the wall next to my computer to poke while I wait for programs to load.

– Unless under high stress, Silly Putty likes to remain continuous. It is impossible to disentangle two pieces of silly putty once they have come in contact; when silly putty meet, their original identities are lost forever.