How to Make Plastic From Potatoes

Believe it or not, you can make your own plastic using potatoes. No factory oils or chemicals are used, so this kind of plastic is eco-friendly. The process involves using materials right at home, or they can be purchased at a grocery, hardware or craft store. Here's how to get started on making your own plastics at home with potatoes.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• 2 potatoes
• Knife
• Potato peeler
• Water
• Blender
• Baking soda
• White vinegar
• Vegetable glycerin
• Food coloring
• Medium pan
• Spatula

1. Find the necessary materials either around your home or at a store. Wash your potatoes, then peel them. Cut up the potatoes into smaller cube-shaped pieces so that your blender can withstand them. Add the pieces into the blender along with one cup of water, then turn the blender on high for up to two minutes.
2. Strain the cloudy water that will appear once you blend the potatoes. Get a coffee filter, or something similar, to strain the water into a bowl until you have nothing but the blended white potato.
3. Prepare to make your potato plastic. First, add one-half teaspoon of baking soda, then two tablespoons of water into a separate, small container, then set it aside for later.
4. Pour about seven tablespoons of cold water into a pan, then about one tablespoon of the potato mix that you blended. Next, add two teaspoons of white vinegar, about two teaspoons of the glycerin and five drops of food coloring if you want colored plastic.
5. Turn the burner to low heat, and then stir the mixture with a spatula. Wait for the mixture to thicken, then turn to medium heat and continue stirring. Add the baking soda and water mixture mentioned in Step 3, then let everything in the pan boil for 10 minutes. The potato mixture should become gooey.
6. Get a sheet of aluminum foil so that you can carefully pour the gooey substance onto it for drying. Let the potato substance dry for one day in a sunny room, or place it into the oven for faster results. Set it in the oven to 150 degrees for up to two hours if you want the substance to dry faster.
7. Mold or shape your newly created plastic. The potato plastic can be formed into anything that you want it to be, including plastic bags, bowls or dinnerware.

Tips & Warnings

• Use potato or cornstarch bought from a grocery store to save some time. The starch can be used as a substitute for the white potatoes.
• Always handle the hot liquids carefully to avoid burns to the skin.