C5R CORP.

Prepare PVA solution

Physical end-to-end experiments
Task space

Prepare a clear, uniform aqueous solution containing 5% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) by weight, with no undissolved powder or gel clumps.

Aqueous PVA solutions are used in hydrogels, biomaterials, spin-coated films, mold coatings, and binders for pressing ceramics. Consistent concentration and complete dissolution help make these processes reproducible.

Agents must control powder addition, mixing, and heating to dissolve the polymer fully. PVA can form stubborn clumps called “fisheyes,” while water lost during heating can change the concentration. The goal is a fully dissolved solution at the target concentration after cooling.

Scoring

The final PVA concentration must be within 4.85–5.15 wt%, matching or improving on the human reference's error from the 5 wt% target.

RESULTS

Prepare a clear, uniform aqueous solution containing 5% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) by weight, with no undissolved powder or gel clumps.
ModelPass@1Cost ($)Model/API inference cost only, averaged per task attempt. Lab and labor costs are not reported. Repeats are averaged using the same task and family weights as scores.
Claude Opus 5xhigh100.0%$33.68
Grok 4.6xhigh100.0%$5.91
GPT–6 Astraxhigh0.0%$87.32
GPT–5.6 Solxhigh0.0%$19.83
Claude Fable 5.1xhigh0.0%$30.06
Gemini 3.8 Flashhigh0.0%$1.92
0%50%100%

Run progress

Elapsed time from task receipt. Milestones use published annotations or the first matching recorded Facility action. A red × marks when a run stopped, at its last reached milestone.An outlined × marks a step confirmed not performed, positioned on the connection to the next recorded milestone; it is not a completion time.

Task receivedWeigh PVAHeat and dissolveCool solutionAdjust with waterLabel productEnd of recorded run02h4h7.2hElapsed time / hoursGPT–5.6 Sol · Task received: 0m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–5.6 Sol · Weigh PVA: 15m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–5.6 Sol · Heat and dissolve: 3h 06m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–5.6 Sol · Cool solution: 4h 06m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–5.6 Sol · Adjust with water: 4h 10m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–5.6 Sol · Label product: 4h 20m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–5.6 Sol · End of recorded run: 4h 22m; 1/1 attempts0.0 %Claude Fable 5.1 · Task received: 0m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Fable 5.1 · Weigh PVA: 1h 08m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Fable 5.1 · Heat and dissolve: 2h 20m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Fable 5.1 · Cool solution: 3h 11m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Fable 5.1 · Adjust with water: 3h 29m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Fable 5.1 · Label product: 4h 24m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Fable 5.1 · End of recorded run: 4h 27m; 1/1 attempts60.0 %Grok 4.6 · Task received: 0m; 1/1 attemptsGrok 4.6 · Weigh PVA: 1h 04m; 1/1 attemptsGrok 4.6 · Heat and dissolve: 1h 56m; 1/1 attemptsGrok 4.6 · Cool solution: 2h 16m; 1/1 attemptsGrok 4.6 · Adjust with water: 3h 47m; 1/1 attemptsGrok 4.6 · Label product: 3h 47m; 1/1 attemptsGrok 4.6 · End of recorded run: 3h 51m; 1/1 attempts85.0 %GPT–6 Astra · Task received: 0m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–6 Astra · Weigh PVA: 33m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–6 Astra · Heat and dissolve: 2h 16m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–6 Astra · Cool solution: 6h 40m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–6 Astra · Adjust with water: 6h 48m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–6 Astra · Label product: 7h 07m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–6 Astra · End of recorded run: 7h 09m; 1/1 attempts77.0 %Claude Opus 5 · Task received: 0m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Opus 5 · Weigh PVA: 34m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Opus 5 · Heat and dissolve: 2h 23m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Opus 5 · Cool solution: 3h 14m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Opus 5 · Adjust with water: 3h 27m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Opus 5 · Label product: 3h 38m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Opus 5 · End of recorded run: 3h 47m; 1/1 attempts93.0 %Gemini 3.8 Flash · Task received: 0m; 1/1 attemptsGemini 3.8 Flash · Weigh PVA: 1h 52m; 1/1 attemptsGemini 3.8 Flash · Heat and dissolve: 2h 31m; 1/1 attemptsGemini 3.8 Flash · Cool solution: 2h 59m; 1/1 attemptsGemini 3.8 Flash · Label product: 2h 59m; 1/1 attemptsGemini 3.8 Flash · End of recorded run: 3h 00m; 1/1 attempts66.0 %Gemini 3.8 Flash · Adjust with water: Not performed (no timestamp)

Model trajectories

Run grading

Pass
MeasurementRecorded resultOutcome
Final PVA concentration4.93 wt% PVA✓ Pass

Pass condition: The final PVA concentration must be within 4.85–5.15 wt%, matching or improving on the human reference's error from the 5 wt% target.

Prepare PVA solutionClaude Opus 5 xhigh
Run gradingPass
00:0000:01

Model activity

Model transcript

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Appendix

Equipment, labware and reagents available in the Facility task environment. Selections vary across recorded attempts.

Main equipment2 items
USA Lab

USA Lab 7-H550-PRO 7x7 Digital Magnetic Hotplate Stirrer

USA-LAB:USA-7-H550-PRO

Heat and stir PVA in water to dissolve the polymer.

OHAUS

Scout SPX223 AM Portable Precision Balance

OHAUS:30253018

Weigh reagents and prepared solutions.

Supporting equipment3 items
ItemBrandSKURole
Eisco Labs polypropylene measuring cylinder, 100 mL, Class B, 1 mL graduationsEisco LabsEISCO:CH0354DMeasure liquid volumes during solution preparation.
Portable Pipet-Aid XP Pipette Controller, White (110 V)Drummond Scientific CompanyDRUMMOND:4-000-101Transfer water and adjust the final solution volume.
A2Z Scilab green-PTFE-coated stainless-steel double-ended micro spatula, square + flat-spoon ends, 9 inA2Z ScilabA2ZSCILAB:A2Z-PTSQSP9Scoop and transfer PVA powder during weighing.
Consumables5 items
ItemBrandSKURole
Fisherbrand Reusable Glass Low-Form Griffin Beaker, 250 mL, KG-33 borosilicate, graduatedThermo Fisher ScientificTHERMO-FISHER:FB100250Prepare the 100 mL PVA solution with headroom for heating and stirring.
Fisherbrand Reusable Glass Low-Form Griffin Beaker, 400 mL, KG-33 borosilicate, graduatedThermo Fisher ScientificTHERMO-FISHER:FB100400Larger preparation vessel available for solution handling.
Uline polystyrene weighing dish, 20 mL, antistaticUlineULINE:S-24431Weigh and transfer small powder charges.
Nilef weighing boats, small, antistatic polystyreneNilefGENERIC:NILEF-WEIGH-BOAT-SMALLSmall antistatic boats available for weighing powder.
Thermo Scientific Nunc Serological Pipette, 5 mL, sterile polystyrene, individually paper/plastic wrapped, case of 200Thermo Fisher ScientificTHERMO-FISHER:170355NTransfer small water additions with the pipette controller after cooling.
Reagents3 items
ItemBrandSKURole
Polyvinyl alcohol, 86-89% hydrolyzed, low molecular weightThermo Fisher ScientificTHERMO-FISHER:041238.22Low-molecular-weight PVA grade used to prepare the 5% by-weight solution.
Polyvinyl alcohol, 86-89% hydrolyzed, medium molecular weightThermo Fisher ScientificTHERMO-FISHER:041239.22Medium-molecular-weight PVA grade used in other recorded attempts.
Water, deionized, ASTM Type I, certified ACS grade, 10 L cubitainerLabChemLABCHEM:LC267406Dissolution solvent and final adjustment after cooling.