Material Science/Corrosion Workshop for Teachers

Ashbury College will be hosting a 5-day workshop for teachers, focusing on material science and corrosion, from July 2-6, 2012, at its campus in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The camp will offer a diverse curriculum of interest to teachers of chemistry, physics, industrial arts, art and technology.

During this one-week event, teacher participants will learn the basics of Materials Science Technology (MST) as taught at the high school level. They will work hands-on with metals, ceramics, polymers and composites, and will develop a greater appreciation for the importance of these materials to modern life. The teachers will see how this heavily project-based course excites students to learn science concepts as they complete projects of personal worth to them. Whether teachers use the information and concepts as a basis for teaching their own MST course or merely infuse the concepts into an existing science curriculum to increase relevancy, they will finish the week prepared to make some important instructional changes as a result of their participation. Individual topics are listed below.

The organizing committee has secured sponsorship making the workshop free but limited to 30 participants. This includes room and board for those that wish to get involved from out of town. 

The workshop will include the following subjects:

SOLIDS

Topics

  • Importance of materials
  • Four categories of solids
  • Simple chemistry made easy
  • Chemical bonding
  • Periodic Table of Elements – it can be useful and fun to learn
  • Oxidation-reduction

Experiments/Labs

  • Identification of Materials
  • Formation of Crystals
  • Destructive Testing
  • Activity Series of Metals
  • Oxidation/Reduction of Copper

METALS

Topics

  • History of metals and use
  • Properties of metals
  • Mechanical properties
  • Effects of heat treating
  • Types of alloys; alloying techniques
  • Phase diagrams
  • Testing metals
  • Manufacturing processes

Experiments/Labs

  • Rolling a Coin
  • Drawing a Wire
  • Alloying Copper and Zinc
  • Actual Cost of a Penny
  • Making a Light Bulb
  • Making Tin-Lead Solder
  • Annealing Copper
  • Powder Metallurgy
  • Lost Wax Casting

CERAMICS/GLASS

Topics

  • Ceramics are crystalline solids
  • Ionic and covalent bonds
  • Glass properties are different: amorphous structure
  • Manufacturing processes

Experiments/Labs

  • Forming, Firing, and Glazing Clay
  • Thermal Shock
  • Glass Bending and Blowing
  • Glass Batching and Melting
  • Dragon Dribble/Dragon Tears
  • Coloring Glass
  • Ceramic Slip Casting

Project

  • Making Raku
  • Melt and pour liquid glass

POLYMERS

Topics

  • Classification of polymers
  • Altering chemically or with additives
  • Recycling concerns
  • Chemical changes through cross-linking
  • Synthetic polymers & chemistry involved
  • Historical developments
  • Manufacturing processes

Experiments/Labs

  • Cross-Linking a Polymer
  • Polymer Identification
  • Making Nylon 6-10
  • Latex Rubber Ball
  • Memory in Polymers
  • Epoxy Resin Cast
  • Polymer Foam Creations

Project

  • Slime

COMPOSITES

Topics

  • Types of composites and categories
  • Strength-to-weight ratios
  • Strength measuring, testing, altering
  • Wood and concrete: traditional composites
  • Fiber reinforced composites
  • Graphite and Kevlar fibers

Experiments/Labs

  • Stressed-Skin Composites
  • Compression and Tension in a Bending Beam
  • Using Portland Cement to Make & Test Concrete
  • Hand Lay-Up of a Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer
  • Plaster of Paris Matrix Composite
  • Laminated Wood Beams

To register please go to www.asmfoundation.org 

Further information may be obtained by contacting Chris Miedema through e-mail at cmiedema@ashbury.ca or by telephone (613) 834-3882.

 We look forward to seeing you in July!