Informal Science Education Exhibits

To take nanotechnology to a wider audience of students and teachers of all ages, ICE formed a partnership with a leading children's museum, the Discovery Center Museum in Rockford, Illinois, in 2005. The Discovery Center, named to the National Geographic Society's "Top Ten Children's Museums", has interactive science exhibits as its focus. Through this partnership we are producing a series of informal science education exhibits based on nanoscience technology.

The first Nano Kiosk has been installed in the Discover Center Museum in Rockford, IL.

Library Kiosks

Imagine going up to a kiosk in your local library and actually touching the surfaces of nanoscale objects scaled up to human dimensions!

Using innovative 3D-tactile models developed by ICE, the Discovery Center is producing a series of four types of kiosks for libraries that will allow visitors to feel the surfaces of nanoscale objects, thereby experiencing the amazing nanoscale structures that give these materials their unique properties. (The 3D models were originally developed as teaching aids so blind or visually impaired students might learn about nanoscience topics via a tactile experience.)

ICE staff developed a process to accurately reproduce magnified 3D models of actual nanoscale surfaces. Images from scanning electron microscopes and atomic force microscopes are converted into 3D image formats and then printed on a type of 3D printer known as a Rapid Prototype Printer. The printer produces an accurate 3D model based on the experimental images from the supermicroscopes. The models can be as much as 40,000 times larger than the nanostructures they represent.

The first set of kiosks will include tactile models of the surfaces of CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Ray Discs; Butterfly Wings; Nanotex Fabric; and Cabbage Leaves. Just looking at the images below gives you an idea of their very different surfaces, but you probably would like to touch them. Now you can! The first kiosk has been installed at the Discovery Center Museum in Rockford, IL. Additional kiosks will be placed in six libraries that are part of the Rockford Public Library system as well as in the lobby of the Chemistry Building of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Over the course of the next six years the Discovery Center Museum with help from ICE will develop three more types of kiosk tops, each containing four tactile models. The library kiosks will be disseminated nationally to science museums and children's museums through the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Net). When the Library Kiosk project has been completed, the blueprints and printing instructions will be made available to museums through the NISE Net catalogue of exhibits.

To the left is an image of the wing of a Blue Morpho Butterfly, as seen through a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The nanostructures that can be seen in the image refract light and give the butterfly its distinctive blue color. This image will be available as a 3D model for the library kiosk. Click on the image to see a larger version.

In the center is an image of nanotex fabric from a pair of trousers as seen by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The nanofibers that can be seen in the image help make the fabric both water and stain resistant. This image will be available as a 3D model for the library kiosk. Click on the image to see a larger version.

To the right, an image of the surface of a CD as seen with atomic force microscopy (AFM). Click on the image to see a expanded version with images of the surfaces of CDs, DVDs, and BluRay disks, all at the same scale. The surface of these three types of media are being converted into 3D models for the library kiosk. The pits in the surface encode computer data or video. Notice how much smaller and more closely spaced they are on the DVD and especially the BluRay disks.

Carbon Playground

Experience the atomic-level structure of carbon by climbing on it—not just one form, but three!

Using large scale molecular models developed by UW–Madison lecture demonstrator Jim Maynard, ICE is developing a series of climbable playground equipment pieces built to conform with the molecular shapes of different forms of carbon. In Stage One, these forms are in the works and on schedule for installation:

C₆₀ model: to be completed by February 2011; to be installed in April 2011
Graphene model: to be installed in April 2011
Nanotube model: in process

These structures will be displayed—and climbed on!—at the science playground area of the Discovery Center Museum in Rockford, Illinois. There will be accompanying signs to explain each of the different forms of carbon, making the entire playground complementary to the existing and planned exhibits at the Discovery Center.

The models are being built in accordance with guidelines for construction and materials for public playgrounds: specifically the "Public Playground Safety Handbook", publication 325 of the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission as well as guidelines of local government agencies, should their regulations be more stringent than federal guidelines.

The three models and their role in the playground can be described as follows:

The C₆₀ model is approximately 2 meters tall. It will be suspended at four points from a pair of overhead beams about 2 feet above the ground. (It may or may not have a solid support under the bottom hexagon.) The structure is meant to be climbed into and on the outer edges, and climbing will not be obstructed by overhead crossbars.
The graphene model will be approximately 12 feet long and 4–5 feet wide. It will be suspended on a frame about 5 feet above the playground surface. There will be just two or three supports under the structure so that hand-to-hand climbs are possible.
The nanotube model will be about 20 feet long and 4–5 feet in diameter. Effectively it is a large rope that has been woven into the pattern of a nanotube. The structure will be suspended about 18 inches off the ground, with a solid support at the bottom and reinforced with steel outer rings for stability. We expect that kids will mostly climb and play inside the nanotube.

The Carbon Playground Project has generated much interest. Discussions are taking place about building additional sets of the three basic models as well as the possibility of adding additional structures in the future, such as screw dislocation "trees", a diamond network solid, graphite, and C₇₀ buckyball; other possibilities are conical micro-point sections of carbon and metal oxide tetrapods. We hope that the equipment will be disseminated nationally to science museums and children's museums through the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network.

Support for the development of informal science education exhibits is provided by the UW-Madison NSEC