Exploring Materials - Nano Fabrics (NanoDays 2010)
Overview
Description
"Exploring Nano Fabric" is a hands-on activity exploring how the application of nano-sized whiskers can protect clothing from stains. Visitors investigate the hydrophobic properties of pants made from nano fabric and ordinary fabric.
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Creative Commons - Attribution (recommended for NISE Network products)http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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1 Evaluations
Exploring Materials: NanoFabrics
View the page for this evaluation reportMajor Findings
Most visitors understood the nanotechnology aspect of the activity though none specifically identified the use of "whiskers" in materials made with nanotechnology. A quarter of visitors explained the activity as having to do with nanotechnology in general, and a third identified aspects of the two learning goals in their answers. Almost all of the visitors thought that the activity was interesting, enjoyable, and easy to understand. Some visitors had questions about how material with nano properties is made. A third of the visitors identified the materials created using nanotechnology as the activity's relation to nano, and a quarter pointed out the size or that the activity explained what nanotechnology is as its relationship.
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“Programs” are public interactions facilitated in-person by museum professionals. Here you’ll find all the materials you need to host many kinds of programs, including large lectures, small floor demonstrations, comedy and theater pieces, and quiz and game shows.
NISE Net includes some of the premier science program developers in the United States—people with years of experience in creating engaging experiences around complex scientific concepts. The programs offered here were vetted through a process of prototyping, audience research, and in-depth partnerships with scientists.
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Grant No.
ESI-0532536
3 Comments
Try fruit juices with nano fabrics
Veronica and I used tiny pants made from nano fabric at the SACNAS conference last October. In our demo we continuously spilled cranberry-grape juice on the facric and dabbed it away with tiny squares of paper towels. The result was more dramatic than water and brought visitors of all ages to our station. They strongly related to the visual idea of spilling real food and having it wipe away.
Fun with ketchup
If you're brave enough to experiment with substances other than water, ketchup is a fun one to try. We ask visitors to squirt a dime-sized squirt of ketchup onto a swatch of nanofabric (very important to specify a small quantity...). You can then hold the swatch over a bucket and use a squirt bottle of water to "chase" the ketchup off the fabric. Very cool effect! However, don't rub the ketchup in or let it sit for a long time, or maintenance will get to be a hassle.
Tiny nanopants
OMSI staff had great success with this activity, making doll-sized nanopants out of nano fabric. You can buy a pair of nanopants (larger pants for the same price means more fabric!) and cut out small swatches of cloth, and sew them into tiny shorts that fit in the palm of your hand.
Visitors love pouring water on the fabric, and tiny pants can fit in a bowl or tray to contain the mess!