Reporter: Alexander YU

Date: November 3, 2022

Venue: Tech Interactive Museum, San Jose

Warning: you need to wait a few days so NO COMPLAINING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What is the experiment? 

Today i made kelp bands. 

What are the ingredients used in the experiment? 

  • Alginate powder

  • Aloe vera

  • Glycerin 

  • 20 milliliters of water

  • Agave syrup

  • Calcium bath 

  • Food coloring ( optional )


Why is aloe vera added? 

The aloe vera can make the bands stretchy and lumpy.

Why glycerin is added

The glycerine was added to make the bands brighter and more greasy.

Why agave syrup is added? 

The agave syrup was added to make the band harden. A reaction between the calcium and the syrup makes it harden. Its simple science.

The steps of making the experiment 

  1. Get a pouch and put some alginate powder in the pouch.

  2. Unscrew the lid and put the water in the pouch.

  3. Put the aloe vera, glycerin, and agave syrup in the pouch

  4. Put the food coloring into the pouch

  5. Shake

  6. Prepare a calcium bath

  7. Squirt the pouch’s contents into the bath

  8. Wait 2 minutes

  9. Take the stuff out

  10. Wait a few days

  11. Enjoy!

Note: You can wait 1 minute but 2 minutes is recommended.

Bonus - 

Why did the technician ask about plastic? 


Maybe because the alginat powder i used is made out of some plastic.

Does the plastic have anything related to kelp bands?

No it does not.

Is plastic good or bad? Why? 

Bad. it can harm the enviroment. 

Is kelp band more environmentally friendly? Why? 

What can we do with kelp?

Yes. i am betting that you can plant the kelp bands and grow kelp.  

  • You can make rubber bands. 

  • If you weld a bunch of kelp pieces together, and you make kelp blocks, and you make enough kelp blocks, you make houses. 

Photos for reference