This polymer has become popular with Japanese bubblers and seems to have replaced PVA-containing laundry starch as the polymer of choice for bubble juice. Like PAM (polyacrylamide), this polymer comes in cross-link varieties (which are not water-soluble and so not usable for bubble juice) and non-cross-linked varieties. The one used in Japan is sold as a food-grade thickening agent.
In January 2021, a discussion about this was started on the BubbleTalk/SBFBubblers Forum.
Japanese Sodium Polyacrylate Recipe
A Japanese bubbler who is a wiki user uses the following recipe :
・ 1.5g Sodium Polyacrylate (Powder with as small particles as possible melt well. Large granular ones may have a hard time melting.)
・ 0.5g citric acid (In Japan, tap water has a low pH (about 7.6 in Tokyo) , so 0.2-0.3g may be enough. If you use dawn family detergent or tap water other than Japan, 0.5g may not be enough, so adjust it yourself.)
・ 3700ml water (Or it can be 1 gallon.)
(* Warm water helps dissolve Sodium Polyacrylate. 104 ° F (40 ° C) is sufficient. Of course cold tap water is OK, but hot water is a more convenient method. )
・ 180ml Japanese detergent “Cucute(Kyu-kyutto)” (A simple test confirmed that the Dawn family could be replaced in about the same amount. But If you use Dawn, adjust the amount yourself so that it doesn't get too thick.)
[Mixing]
1. Fill bucket with 3700ml water, start stirring.
2. Add Sodium Polyacrylate little by little while rapidly stirring water.
(How to put the powder is important. If you “scatter” it, you will not get a lump. If you add the whole amount with a spoon at once, a lump will be formed and the polymer will not dissolve sufficiently.)
3. After adding Sodium Polyacrylate, the water gradually feels “heavier”. Stir for 2-3 minutes. At this point, it's okay if you have a lump.
4. Leave it for about 30 minutes. (after that lumps should be gone, but if any lumps remain, strain them with a strainer.)
5. Add detergent.
6. Add citric acid.
(* There is report that slurry method using alcohol is more convenient. Try this too.)
Multipolymer mixing with PEO or HEC works OK.
In the right quantities, it makes closing bubbles trivially easy and makes it easy to blow many bubbles from a single dip of a wand (like PEO!). However, if the amount of Sodium Polyacrylate is too large, the liquid will be so “hard” that it is difficult to even separate the bubbles from the film surface. If the stringing is strong, adjust the amount of Sodium Polyacrylate.
23,Nov,2020 Sodium Polyacrylate
It is a solution of sodium polyacrylate created by the above recipe. It was a windy day, but the humidity was high and the conditions were good.
Sodium Polyacrylate may be a viable option in areas where J-lube is not available.
Sources
The January 2021 BubbleTalk discussion lists these to varieties available from Amazon in Japan:
- https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B07SPB41RZ
- https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B07Q5D629H
Note: One buyer reports, "the polyacrylate that I ordered from Amazon Japan was canceled as undeliverable. Apparently it can't be shipped to USA after all ..." (Added February 2021) )
Possible candidates (untested as of Jan. 2021) proposed in the Bubbletalk discussion:
Several people have reported that the following products have been validated. This can be used for bubbles. (Shipped from China, it will take several weeks.)(Added March 2021)
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