alginatestring.md



ALGINATE STRINGS

##GENERAL INFORMATION
A strong, springy or flexible string (depending on diameter of extruder), alginate based. The string is strong and flexible and is somewhat comparable to thick nylon or rubber cord. It is more flexible than nylon, but stiffer than rubber.
Physical form
Strings
Color without additives: matte white, translucent
Fabrication time
Preparation time: 1 hour (plus resting overnight)
Processing time: 5-7 days
Need attention: every few hours the first day, to spray more curing agent and rearrange the string.
Final form achieved after: 7 days
Estimated cost (consumables)
0,57 Euros for a yield of approx 200 ml
##RECIPE
###Ingredients


Sodium alginate powder - 6 gr

the polymeer (so it becomes a solid)


Glycerine - 10 gr

the plasticizer that bonds with the alginate (makes it flexible).


Water - 200 ml/gr

to dissolve and mix the polymeer and plasticizer
optional: use a (diluted) natural dye instead for a colored plastic


Sunflower oil - 5 gr

filler to reduce shrinkage


Calcium chloride solution 10% - 300 ml (30 gr to 300 gr water)

is the curing agent: calcium chloride attracts moisture very strongly: spraying it onto the alginate plastic starts the curing process.


###Tools

Scale
Spoon
Blender

optional: glass jar with lid

to store the alginate leftovers


A bowl or jar of min. 300 ml

for the calcium chloride bath


A large glass jar

to wind the string around for curing


A deep plate, bowl or container

to catch the excess water coming from the string


60 cc (or more) syringe

to extrude the alginate plastic into the calcium chloride bath. You can also use other improvised extruders like empty sauce bottles and whipped/cream batter extruders.


Spray bottle (100 ml or more, for the calcium chloride solution)

###Yield
Before processing/drying/curing: approx. 200 ml of alginate plastic that can be stored for two weeks and used in many different recipes
Approx. 300 ml of calcium chloride 10% solution that can be used for any alginate recipe.
###Method


Preparation

Weigh your ingredients for the alginate plastic (alginate, glycerine, water, sunflower oil). Optional: use a diluted natural dye instead of water in the same amount for a colored plastic.
Put the oil, alginate and glycerine in a blender and add a dash of the water. Blend into a thick and homogenous paste. Then add the rest of the water and blend again (this is to avoid lumps).
Leave the mixture overnight to allow the bubbles to come to the surface and pop.
Make the calcium chloride solution by dissolving 10 gr in 100 gr hot water. Put some in a spray bottle and store the rest in a jar: this is your calcium chloride bath.


Extruding

prepare the work space by putting out your calcium chloride bath and spray, an empty jar to wrap the string around, a syringe and your alginate mixture.
fill the syringe with about 50 ml alginate plastic
extrude the alginate plastic into the calcium chloride bath, try to extrude continuously and uninterupted to created an even, long string. Repeat this process to make more strings.


Curing & drying

leave the string in the bath for a few minutes and then rinse in some tap water.
the strings will be a bit curly at this stage. Wrap them around a jar to create a spool and stretch them out a little.
keep an eye on them the first day, the stretch might break the film on some points. Spray some extra calcium chloride to close the leaks.
Let it cure until totally dry, you can take the string off the jar if you want to stretch them out into long straight strings.


###Drying/curing/growth process

Syringe diameter:  		2-5 mm
Shrinkage thickness:      20-30 %
Shrinkage width/length:   N/A

Shrinkage and deformation control
Wrapping it around a jar will help elongate the string so it doesn't dry up into curls. You can take it off the jar and dry it in long threads. Let it dry up to 7 days to get to the final form. It will be flexible at first but will slowly harden.
Curing agents and release agents
Calcium chloride 10% solution as a curing agent.
Minimum wait time before releasing from mold