ASM Materials Education Foundation Student Chapter Grant Proposal. Submitted February, Iowa State University Material Advantage Student Chapter

Transcription

1 ASM Materials Education Foundation Student Chapter Grant Proposal Submitted February, 2010 Iowa State University Material Advantage Student Chapter

2 Project Description The Iowa State University (ISU) Chapter of Material Advantage would like to create a kit of demonstrations (demo kit) that can serve as an outreach tool to instill an interest in science and engineering within students of all ages. The Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Department at ISU currently presents such demos to a wide range of students, from kindergarten through college undergraduates. The demos are presented as an outreach or recruitment opportunity for prospective students. For younger audiences, the demos are presented to simply spark an interest in science. Presently, the ISU chapter of Material Advantage shares a demo kit with the Materials Science and Engineering faculty at ISU. Between the faculty and the ISU chapter, approximately 75 presentations are given each year for audience sizes ranging from 20 to 200 students. The demos are also a popular attraction for college visits and campus events. In a recent poll of upperclassman in Materials Engineering at ISU, 79% of the students surveyed mentioned that Dr. Genalo (an MSE Professor) was a major influence in their decision to pursue an education in materials engineering. The single most mentioned factor in Dr. Genalo's recruitment efforts was his demonstrations about materials.

3 Project Objectives The proposed project is able to help satisfy the objective of strengthening families, children, and youth by encouraging and engaging students through educational presentations and hands-on activities. Often times, the presentations are given to extracurricular clubs, afterschool programs, Science Nights, and Saturday-School programs for at-risk youth. The proposed project also aims to address the community need of education by supplementing classroom curriculum with exciting science demonstrations. This project has the potential to inspire students to challenge themselves academically and perhaps attract them towards a scientific profession. There are several complex world-wide issues, such as global warming and renewable energy, whose solutions will require future generations to be more adept in science and mathematics. We believe these demos are a great way to attract prospective Engineering Students.

4 Project Timeline The proposed project is a long-term endeavor. The requested funding, however, would allow the one-time purchase of several key items and materials to complete the demo kit. With such a kit, we would be capable of performing the demos for many years. Some items and materials will need to be replaced frequently, such as the items that are intentionally broken during performances. The ISU student chapter can fund the replacement of such materials through weekly fundraising activities such as campus pizza sales. The following table lists the names and items associated with each demo. Demo Name Crystallization Demo Silicon Temper Steel Glass Fiber Melt a Penny Nitinol Athletic Contest Happy & Sad Balls Racquet Ball Tempered Glass Required Materials Custom Ball-Bearing Transparency Silicon Wafer Steel Rod, Cutters, Torch, Water, Glass Bowl Glass Rod, Torch Penny, Space Shuttle Tile Nitinol Wire, Hot Water, Pyrex Bowl Copper Pipe, PVC Pipe, Magnet Two polymer balls, One Crosslinked, One Regular Racquet Ball, Liquid Nitrogen in a Dewar, Open Face Dewar, Tongs Pane of Tempered Glass, Canvas Drop Cloth, Safety Glasses, Cutters, 2 Chairs Our chapter s growth plan includes becoming more active in the local community and the state of Iowa. We currently perform demonstrations at local schools and nearby colleges in addition to providing activities for Science Nights, after school programs, and events such as Engineering Day at the Mall.

5 Project Timeline The ISU student chapter would begin gathering the materials and items necessary to compile the demo kit as soon as funding is available. This gathering and preparation process would require approximately one month. Once the items have been acquired, our chapter would be in a position to perform the demonstrations. The following table summarizes the project timeline and the phases involved. Project Phase Check Item Availabilities Determine Best Vendor(s) Order The Items Receive The Items Compile The Demo Kit Total Estimated Time Estimated Time Required Within First Week of Funding Approval Within First Week of Funding Approval Within First Week of Funding Approval One to Two Weeks One Week Approximately One Month

6 Project Budget The proposed project will require two types of funding; namely, an initial purchase of the required permanent materials and funding to maintain the disposable materials within the demonstration kit. Our chapter is currently seeking assistance for the purchase of the items listed in the following table. The vendors listed are potential suppliers for the necessary items. Item Name Price Possible Vendor Crystallization Demo $ Custom Built Silicon Wafer $ ISU Faculty Pliers / Wire Cutters $5.00 Lowes Propane Torch $30.00 Lowes Space Shuttle Tile $ NASA Hot Water Pot $15.00 Walmart Pyrex Besin $25.00 Chemistry Store Happy & Sad Balls $5.00 Sargent Welch PVC Tube ~ 20" $5.00 Lowes Cu Tube ~ 20" $5.00 Lowes 2 Liter Dewar With Handle $ Chemistry Store Open Top Dewar $ Chemistry Store Fabric Sheet $15.00 Lowes Metal Tongs $7.00 Chemistry Store Safety Glasses $7.00 Chemistry Store Informational Slides $10.00 ISU Faculty Rolling Case $40.00 Walmart or Lowes Estimated Total Cost $ Secondary funding will be required to maintain some necessary materials such as glass rods, steel rods, glass panes, propane, and racquetballs. Our chapter already has a plan to fund such materials, which includes faculty donations and fundraising efforts. Like many student groups, funding is a current challenge. We appreciate your consideration and hope you support our group financially as we embark on our outreach endeavors.

7 Description of Demonstrations Crystallization Demo To demonstrate how atoms might appear if viewed with a powerful microscope and to show that the arrangement of the atoms (crystal structure) can be changed through various processing techniques. The demo consists of several ball bearings placed between two sheets of plexiglass so they can move around between the plastic sheets. This model of an atomic plane can be placed on an overhead projector so that larger audiences can easily view the demonstration. Dislocations, vacancies, defects are introduced and discussed. Tempering Steel To demonstrate how ordinary steel is ductile, but can be heat treated such that it becomes very strong. Two pieces of steel drill rod are tempered using a propane torch and water bucket for quenching. The use of steel in tools and structures is discussed. Optical Fiber A glass rod is heated and pulled into a long fiber. The use of fiber optics in telecommunications and laser surgery is discussed. Thermal Conductivity A penny is melted with a torch on a NASA space shuttle tile while it rests on (and protects) the presenter s hand. The importance of ceramics as insulating materials is discussed. Shape Memory Alloy A few pieces of NITINOL wire in the shape of ISU are given to audience members who then deform the wire. The wires are then placed in hot water and they spring back to the ISU shape. The use of shape memory alloys in braces is discussed, along with potential future applications.

8 Happy Sad Balls Cross-linked Polymers An audience member is asked to compare and contrast two seemingly identical polymeric spheres. Each ball is then dropped to the floor. One ball (the happy ball) bounces while the other ball (the sad ball) falls flat. The process and effect of cross-linking is explained and the use of this property in super balls and bouncy balls is addressed. Athletic Contest Electromagnetic Induction A volunteer is asked to try and catch a magnet that is falling through a pipe. The presenter and volunteer each grasp a pipe vertically with one hand. The free hand of the presenter holds the magnet at the top entrance to the pipe. The volunteer s free hand rests above the presenter s free hand. The presenter then drops the magnet through the pipe and the volunteer tries to catch it with their free hand. The audience will see that it is easier to catch the magnet as it falls through a copper pipe rather than a PVC pipe. The concepts of electromagnetic induction and eddy-currents are addressed. Racquet Ball Glass Transition A racquetball is submerged in liquid nitrogen. While it cools, frozen marshmallows are distributed to the audience. The racquetball is then thrown against a wall and destroyed. The effect of temperature on mechanical properties is discussed. (Liquid nitrogen tends to be very exciting for audiences, so a brief discussion and questions regarding the liquid occur during this demonstration). Tempered Glass A pane of tempered glass is spanned across two chairs. The presenter stands on the pane and addresses the incredible amount of compressive strength that tempered glass possesses. The process of thermally tempering glass is discussed. The glass is then shown to be weak in tension by cutting the corner of the pane. The manufacturing process and applications of tempered glass are discussed.