The May 2014 issue of the Nano Bite (from NISENet [Nanoscale Information Science Education Network]) has popped into my mailbox with news of a successful Nano Days 2014 and a couple of intriguing new products (from the May 2014 newsletter)

→ NanoDays 2014 Success! We want to thank all the NISE Network partners who participated in local NanoDays events. Over 250 NanoDays events took place across the country [US] this year between March 29^th and April 6^th (…). We have received great feedback from partners on the success of events and we are looking forward to reading and seeing more from each of you.

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→ Check out the new Linked Products developed by the Discovery Center Museum in Rockford, IL and the Institute for Chemical Education (ICE) at University of Wisconsin, Madison.

• “Nano Library Kiosk”: Imagine being able to actually touch the surfaces of nanoscale objects like butterfly wings or nanotech fabrics scaled up to human dimensions. The Nano Library Kiosk uses innovative 3D-tactile models to bring this experience to visitors, which are currently being developed and installed for educational use in libraries.
• “Carbon Playground”: A fun and interactive climbable playground structure in the shape of different carbon forms; this playground equipment and complementary online curriculum is sure to get those elementary children interested in nanoscale science.

The source for these materials, the Institute of Chemical Education (ICE) had this to say about its exhibits (from the ICE exhibits page),

The Carbon Playground is now a reality! On Thursday, October 25, 2012, it became the first place in the world where children could experience the atomic-level structure of carbon by climbing on it and through it—not just one form, but three:

C60 model: installed and in use (see photo right bottom)
Nanotube model: installed and in use (see photo right-top)
Graphene model: completed and being installed

Installation

.., the carbon nanotube and the C60 (buckyball) were very popular. They have been installed in the outdoor play area of the Discovery Center Museum, situated along the Rock River in Rockford, Illinois. A model of a graphene sheet is being installed against a Plexiglas wall near the other two carbon structures so that children can do hand-to-hand climbs on it as well as hang from it.

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Along with the models are four signs: one gives an overall description of the Carbon Playground, the others give information about each of the carbon structures. The signs include QR codes because the Carbon Playground is also on the Web at http://carbon.chem.wisc.edu! Children can visit the land of Elementasia, meet Carl (a fictional carbon atom) and his friends and accompany him as he searches for his career (to Carl Carbon’s Career Quest). They can also visit Allotrope Island and explore hands-on activities.

Construction

The playground structures are large scale molecular models that were developed for ICE by UW–Madison chemistry lecture demonstrator Jim Maynard. Each structure has been built to conform with the molecular shapes of different forms of carbon. The models have been 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. The structure is meant to be climbed into and on the outer edges.
• The nanotube model is about 15 feet long and 4–5 feet in diameter. It is a large rope that has been woven into the pattern of a nanotube.
• The graphene model is approximately 12 feet long and 4–5 feet wide. It will be mounted vertically so children can climb from hexagon to hexagon.

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The Carbon Playground Project has generated much interest and is being disseminated through the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network. We are considering building additional sets of the three basic models as well as adding additional structures in the future, such as screw dislocation “trees”, a diamond network solid, graphite, and a C₇₀ buckyball; other possibilities are conical micro-point sections of carbon and metal oxide tetrapods. We hope that science museums, children’s museums, and schools will be interested in having their own carbon playgrounds.

[Nano] Library Kiosks

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.

You can find the entire May 2014 issue of the Nano Bite here.