Polymers are a material type composed of many chains of molecular structures called monomers. They are both artificially and naturally created, manifesting in many of our materials such as plastics or even your hair! Polymer composites combinations of polymers that we create for desired properties. They are made to be strong, yet flexible materials that exhibit ductile qualities that make them unique and desired for numerous applications. By forming a composite, we can make an overall polymer that is stronger and/or more flexible than the individual polymers in the composite, creating an overall more desirable material!
The student handout will be given to all students working on the design challenge. It gives a brief recap of the story, it helps the students identify what they are attempting to achieve, and it recaps the design process.
Producing Polymers TEK8 Facilitator’s Guide
This Instructor’s Guide provides the instructor additional information on how to run the design challenge with alternatives for materials and test setups as well as information to help make the design challenge a good educational experience.
The Telling the Story Video conveys the societal impact of the student’s research that is the basis for the design challenge and will set the problem-solving context for students.
The Design Challenge Video leads students through the design process. It indicates materials available, states what the criteria are for success and any constraints. It also gives a second ‘level’ of the design challenge that allows ‘early completers’ to move on to a slightly more difficult challenge.