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Magic sand is sand coated in a water-resistant compound, making it hydrophobic. Originally developed for cleaning oil spills, it became a popular children’s toy. The sand sticks together in water and sinks when too heavy. It was sold as a toy due to its commercial failure as an oil spill cleaner. It can be made at home by baking and coating with a water repellent spray.
Magic sand is ordinary sand covered in trimethylsilanol, a compound that makes it water resistant. The result is a hydrophobic sand that can be used in all sorts of interesting ways. This substance was originally developed for use in cleaning up oil spills, but instead became a children’s toy and educational tool. Many stores that sell science-oriented children’s toys sell it.
Because this sand resists water, it behaves very strangely when exposed to it. Individual grains tend to stick together in the water, creating blocks that can be molded into various shapes. When sprinkled lightly on the surface of the water, the sand will stick together and form a thin layer that will eventually become too heavy to float, slowly sinking to the bottom. This sand also appears slightly silvery under water, thanks to the air bubble that forms around the granules.
When the sand is lifted out of the water it is perfectly dry and flowing. People who grew up playing with this product may remember how fascinating the mysterious substance was, as the seemingly solid underwater forms dissolved instantly when pulled out.
The idea behind this sand when it was first developed was that it could be spread across an oil spill to bind to the oil. In doing so, it would have become extremely heavy, eventually sinking to the bottom of the ocean and taking the oil with it. However, the magic sand has proved expensive to produce, and questions have been raised about the environmental viability of this cleaning method.
Due to its commercial failure, the manufacturer wondered what to do with his new invention. The solution was to dye the sand in eye-catching colors, label it “magic sand,” “Mars sand,” or “space sand,” and sell it as a toy. This product was immensely popular in the 1980s, much to the chagrin of parents who had to clean up after their children, and continues to be used in scientific demonstrations of hydrophobic material properties.
Magic sand can be made at home by baking the sand to remove moisture and then coating it with a water repellent spray designed to protect the fabric, flipping the sand to ensure it is evenly coated.
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