Doping to Create a Semiconductor: Changing conductive properties through diffusion
Teaching Materials | 14 Jan 2020 | Contributor(s): Kaye Sheets, NNCI Nano
In the semiconductor industry scientists take advantage of diffusion to “dope” or introduce atoms into a silicon wafer to change its conductive properties. The lesson simulates the diffusion of a gas phase substance (ammonia) into a solid substrate (gelatin) and compares the...
CDs and DVDs as Diffraction Gratings
Teaching Materials | 13 Jan 2020 | Contributor(s): Rama Balachandran, Karen Porter Davis, NNCI Nano
The objective of this lab is to compare the diffraction behavior of light waves between a CD and DVD. CDs and DVDs contain regularly spaced micrometer sized features which can act like a diffraction grating. Using commercial electronic storage devices like CDs and DVDs as gratings rather than...
Catalytic Converters and Nanocatalysts
Teaching Materials | 12 Jan 2020 | Contributor(s): Cheryl Powers, NNCI Nano
This two part lesson with an optional third lesson is designed to explore the reactions involved in catalytic converters and the importance of nanocatalysts in the reactions. Student activities can be done as guided or independent inquiry
Polyaniline Synthesized Conducting Polymer for Applicable Uses as Nanomaterials
Teaching Materials | 06 Jan 2020 | Contributor(s): Mark Dignan, NNCI Nano
This lesson introduces students to polyaniline, a conducting polymer. It demonstrates how nanofibers significantly improve the processing of polyaniline and its performance as a conventional application involving polymer interactions with its environment (i.e. inorganic and organic uses). The...
Modeling Sanning Probe Microscopes (SPM)
Teaching Materials | 06 Jan 2020 | Contributor(s): Woodward Maxwell, NNCI Nano
The Modeling Scanning Probe Microscopes (SPM) lab is designed to show students the principles of how a Scanning Probe Microscope works and how mapping on a smaller scale provides a more detailed view of a surface. Students will use a conductivity apparatus to model the mapping behavior of an...
Visualizing Diffusion in Real Time and on a Macroscle
Teaching Materials | 06 Jan 2020 | Contributor(s): Ryan Stuart, NNCI Nano
This lesson has been designed to help students visualize how diffusion occurs by creating a macro version of a permeable membrane. The goal is to have students see how molecular size (atomic radii) impact diffusion at the nanoscale. In addition, they will observe diffusion rates of iodine with...
Turning Fruit Juice into Graphene Quantum Dots
Teaching Materials | 06 Jan 2020 | Contributor(s): John Gomm, NNCI Nano
Graphene, a sub-nanometer thick sheet made of carbon, was isolated just over a decade ago (2004), yet swiftly won the Nobel Prize for Geim and Novoselov in 2010 for its properties of high strength, conductivity, and transparency. Students will replicate the procedure used to isolate graphene...
Seeing Nano II: Using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to see Nano-size Objects
Teaching Materials | 06 Jan 2020 | Contributor(s): Samantha Andrews, NNCI Nano
Students will explore the storage capacities of CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The AFM allows us to image objects that are extremely small in size, often on the nanoscale (10-9m). Students will access an AFM via Remotely Accessible Instruments for...
Refraction of Light: Forensics Lab
Teaching Materials | 06 Jan 2020 | Contributor(s): Karen Porter-Davis, NNCI Nano
This lesson uses forensic science investigations to help students understand the refraction of light. Using The Marching Band Analogy, the students firsts “experience” how wavelengths of light can slow and bend.
Nanotechnology in Electronics: An Introduction to the units on LEDs, Thermistors, and Transistors
Teaching Materials | 12 Jan 2020 | Contributor(s): Jacyln Murray, NNCI Nano
The purpose of the following group of lab units is to illustrate properties associated with nanotechnology and the electronics industry through utilization of semiconductors. By using macro-examples of actual nano-circuitry, students will understand what is happening on the...
Light Extraction by Changing Composition of Material
Teaching Materials | 06 Jan 2020 | Contributor(s): Sidhu Rano, NNCI Nano
This activity has been designed to have students explore light emitting diodes (LED) and the importance of index of refraction in improving LED efficiency. This activity investigates the tune-ability of a polymer’s index of refraction by using a macromodel LED.
Ice Cream Break with Nanoscience: Nucleations and Colloid Suspensions
Teaching Materials | 06 Jan 2020 | Contributor(s): Raeanne L. Napoleon, Marilyn Garza, NNCI Nano
This lesson is designed to demonstrate how liquid nitrogen cools a mixture at such a rapid rate that it precipitates extremely fine ice crystals from a homogeneous mixture of cream and other ingredients. It is also designed to show how ice cream can be made smoother and creamier through...
Demonstrations for the Materials Science Classroom
Teaching Materials | 06 Jan 2020 | Contributor(s): Silas Brown, Jud Ready, NNCI Nano
This is a compendium of demonstrations exploring the properties of materials. Material science is the study of the five classes of material: metals, ceramics/glasses, polymers, semiconductors, and composites, and their applicable properties. It is an exceedingly important subject because...
Bigger the Better is not Always True: Exploring Size Effect on Chemical Reaction Times
Teaching Materials | 02 Jan 2020 | Contributor(s): Kay Sheets, NNCI Nano
Many physical characteristics effect how matter reacts with other matter. Size does matter. This lesson will explore the reaction time of different size grains of salt when added to soda water. The objective is to determine if surface area affects reactivity time.
Big vs. Little - Micro to Nano
Teaching Materials | 02 Jan 2020 | Contributor(s): Ellie Devine, Lisa Perazone, NNCI Nano
This is a five part lesson dealing with size and scale. Elementary children will explore the concept of size by comparing and categorizing objects, then constructing various sized structures. The lesson is designed to begin their understanding of big and small which will be important as...
Nanoparticle Pollutants
Teaching Materials | 17 Jan 2017 | Contributor(s): Darren Hayes, Nancy Healy, NNCI Nano
Many plastics are in our oceans due to pollution, including ocean dumping and land runoff. Sunlight and alkaline ocean water break these plastics down into small particles, many are nanoscale in size. These nanoparticles can easily enter our cells. Students examine if and how these...
Silver Nanoparticle Socks
Teaching Materials | 10 Jan 2017 | Contributor(s): Pennsylvania State Univeristy, NNCI Nano
This lab will allow students to use the pure silver nanoparticles they synthesize to create antibacterial socks. They will compare their socks with socks that have been treated with a commercial silver spray, socks that have been treated in a factory, and a control that was not been...
Silver Nanoparticle Synthesis, Spectroscopy, and Bacterial Growth
Teaching Materials | 11 Jan 2017 | Contributor(s): Pennsylvania State University, NNCI Nano
Students will learn about the differences in physical propoerties at the nanoscale as compared to the same materials at the macroscale. The students will demonstrate the appropriate use of a spectrophotometer and will convert between different units of measurement. This unit assists students in...
Introduction to Creative Problem Solving in Nanotechnology
Teaching Materials | 10 Jan 2017 | Contributor(s): Joseph Nunn, NNCI Nano
This lesson serves as an introduction to the field of nanotechnology by discussing its real-world implications in light of current economic issues and conditions. The lesson is performed using the Creative Problem-Solving format and serves as a method to encourage debate on current topics.
Sometimes We Need Big Numbers
Teaching Materials | 11 Jan 2017 | Contributor(s): Joyce Palmer Allen, NNCI Nano
The purpose of this lesson is to help students visualize how small a nanometer is by relating the size to the numbers- millions, billions and trillions and then relating those numbers to how small particles of matter are. It begins to lay the foundation for future learning about atoms in the...
Learning About Surface Area and Volume
The purpose of this lesson is to help students extend their knowledge of area, perimeter, and volume to include surface area. The understanding of these concepts begin in the elementary grades and helps students understand events such as why a hot potato cools down quicker when it is...
What's the Smallest Thing You Know?
The book What’s Smaller Than A Pygmy Shrew? by Robert E. Wells helps students see that a pygmy shrew is among the tiniest of mammals and that a ladybug is even smaller. But in the book, they will also find even smaller things that they ordinarily do not see. This is the...
Mixtures and Nanotechnology
The purpose of this unit is to help students make the connection that the classification of mixtures is based on the size of particles. This connects to two of the Big Ideas in Nanoscale Science and Engineering (Stevens, Sutherland, and Krajick 2009). ...
Help or Hype: The Ethics of Bio-nanotechnology
Teaching Materials | 11 Jan 2017 | Contributor(s): Samantha Andrews, NNCI Nano
This lesson explores the ethical concerns related to bio-nanotechnology. Bio-nanotechnology is the application of nanotechnology to living things. This ranges from the creation of pharmaceuticals to medical devices. While scientists have created many life-saving treatments ethical concerns,...
Right Tool for the Job
The purpose of this lesson is to encourage students to think about how using tools helps them gather information about the world around them. This is especially important at the nanoscale, where the objects are too small to be seen and the information we gather depends on the tools that...