PVA experiments.3

I had liked the idea of mixing PVA with cloth and how it could keep its shape when molded into a form, but it was still had moveable and soft tactile properties, so I wanted to see how far I could push this Idea by mixing the solution with different substances and see if they would change the physical properties of PVA acting on cloth.

I decided to see what Boric Acid and Isopropyl Alcohol (100% alcohol) did when reacted with PVA;

I first tried Isopropyl Alcohol, when I poured the PVA pallets straight into the alcohol a reaction between the two products did not occur, I even left it over night to see if it was a slow reaction process but still the PVA did not react with the alcohol. 

I then tried making the PVA react with water then adding the alcohol into the solution, it created a unique reaction, when I poured the Isopropyl Alcohol into the solution the PVA particles reacted with the alcohol and formed little sediments on the top of the liquid.

I then wanted to see what would happen if I socked the cloth into this solution and mold it into a form, I thought that since it made a unique reaction with the alcohol it might change its qualities when acting on the cloth. but I found that it did not change the tactile qualities of the cloth, it was still stiff and held the same shape. 

I concluded that Isopropyl alcohol didn't noticeable change the qualities with PVA acting on cloth.

Next I tried reacting PVA with Boric Acid;

First I tried print the PVA pallets into the boric acid solution and I found that they didn't to dissolve into the solution and bonded together and sat at the bottom of the liquid. So next I poured PVA dissolved in water solution into the Boric Acid and then socked that mixture into cloth and molded it out to see if it it had any noticeable changes. 

But I found just like the Isopropyl Alcohol it did not change the tactile properties of the PVA acting on the cloth, it was still stiff and kept its shape.

I had noticed that over time the PVA pallets that I had put in to solution had softened and enlarged, it had absorbed the Boric Acid and where now soft and stick, I felt that they resembled cottage cheese as they and kept their form and hadn't turned into a liquid state.

I wanted to see if I put this substance in the cloth would it change the qualities, I found it difficult to push the pallets into the cloth as it was thick and sticky, but once in the cloth it held the form well. 

The Boric Acid had changed the physical properties of the PVA and had changed the way it acted on the cloth, intend of socking into the cloth in was more like a paste and and to be painted onto the cloth, it was thick and could be seen on the cloth. I felt that the visual properties had changed as now you could see it and I feel that it is not very visually appealing and to put it bluntly it looks like bird shit. 

In one of the first experiments I did with PVA and water I found out that when you left the PVA and water solution over a long period of time the substance separated making the PVA particles to fall to the bottom making it a thicker substance, I felt that I would try and see if I used the thicker substance with the cloth  and painted on a few coats would it be noticeable diffract when acting on the cloth. 

I found that it had made the Cloth mold thicker and stronger but still had some give to the cloth but would still come back to the form it was molded into, unlike the Boric Acid mold this substance socked into the fabric meaning it gave a cleaner finish and wasn't as noticeable on the cloth as it didn't sit above the cloth.