Clonown NS presents project at BT Young Scientist Primary Science Fair

Pupils of Clonown NS presented their project 'Can you make plastic out of milk?' at the BT Young Scientist Primary Science Fair.

The project studies the science behind how warm milk and vinegar can form a natural plastic.

Plastics come in lots of different varieties, however, the one thing they have in common is that they are all polymers.

Milk contains a protein known as casein.

When it is warmed, and mixed with vinegar, the protein molecules come apart and change into a monomer (a chain of molecules).

The casein monomers will then join together and form a polymer chain and turn into plastic.

The pupils then compared their milk-made plastic to commercial Play-Doh, which was similar in texture.

They found that their plastic was biodegradable, whereas Play-Doh is not.

The children presented their findings at the BT Young Scientist Primary Science Fair, and were interviewed by the Irish Times, Cúla 4 and RTE Junior.

The pupils of Clonown NS are now preparing for March when they will return to the RDS for Science Blast - a free, non-competitive educational programme for primary schools.

To see the full project, go to https://www.clonownns.com/news-activities/bt-young-scientist/