Gel balls, also known as hydrogel balls or water beads, are the ammunition used in gel blasters, a type of toy gun that has gained popularity for its safe and environmentally friendly design.
These balls are made from Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP), a non-toxic, non-irritating, starch-based material that is 100% biodegradable. The gel balls are stored in dry conditions and need to be prepared before use. To prepare gel balls for a battle, they must first be soaked in water. This process allows the sodium polyacrylate in the balls to absorb water, expanding them to 100 to 1000 times their original size. It's crucial to soak the gel balls for at least four hours before using them in your blaster. This ensures that they are properly hydrated and won't cause any damage to your gun. For optimal results, it's recommended to soak the gel balls overnight. After soaking, use a strainer or sieve to clean off the excess water before playing. The soaking process can be further optimized by using hot or warm water. After several attempts, it was found that soaking the gel balls in hot or warm water for 3-4 hours achieves the best effect. However, if you're short on time, soaking the hydrogel balls for over 4 hours until they reach 7-8 mm in diameter will suffice. Once the gel balls are fully charged and ready to start, they can be loaded into the gel blaster. The design of gel blasters is similar to airsoft guns, with a coil spring-loaded piston air pump feeding the gel balls. The gel balls are cheap, easily transported, and easy to clean up after a game, as they break upon impact and dehydrate into tiny biodegradable slush powder fragments. In conclusion, preparing gel balls for a battle involves soaking them in water for a sufficient amount of time, cleaning off the excess water, and loading them into the gel blaster.
With these steps, you'll be ready for an exciting and environmentally friendly skirmish.