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A chemical compound made of silicone oil and boric acid, Silly Putty is composed of flexible molecules that give the material flow. In case you feel like whipping up a batch at home (not that we recommend this), the main ingredients are: - 65% dimethyl siloxane, hydroxy-terminated polymers with boric acid
- 17% silica, quartz crystalline
- 9% thixotrol ST
- 4% polydimethylsiloxane
- 1% decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane
- 1% glycerine
- 1% titanium dioxide
We have the United States War Department to thank for this wacky substance. During World War II, access to many of the rubber-producing countries in the Far East was cut off. Desperate for rubber to make boots and tires, the War Department sought help
from domestic companies to create a cheap synthetic substitute. Silly Putty was an accidental outcome of this experimentation. Created by James Wright, an engineer at General Electric, the substance seemed to have no practical use. However, a local entrepreneur, one Paul Hodgson, bought the rights to the stuff, named it, and started selling Silly Putty through a toy-store catalog. Besides its numerous recreational purposes, Silly Putty has many "legitimate" uses as well. It has been used to secure tools aboard Apollo 8, cast handprints of gorillas, relieve stress, and help smokers break the habit. In March of this year, the childhood favorite was inducted into
the National Toy Hall of Fame, where it joins the ranks of Mr. Potato Head and the Slinky.
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