Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 22: Vulcanized Rubber Aug 03, 2020

Show notes

We usually take modern rubber for granted, but in this episode, Jared and Andrew dive into the incredible history of this miracle material. They discuss the discovery of the vulcanization process by Charles Goodyear all the way through Ford's abandoned corporate towns in the jungle to the present.

Articles Discussed:

2014 Kohjiya & Ikeda. Chemistry, manufacture and applications of natural rubber [LINK]
1994 Science & Technology of Rubber [LINK]
1939 Fisher, Vulcanization of rubber vulcanization of rubber [LINK]
2009 Grandin, Fordlandia: the rise and fall of Henry Ford's forgotten jungle city [LINK]

This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project! This episode is also sponsored by Materials Today, an Elsevier community dedicated to the creation and sharing of materials science knowledge and experience through their peer-reviewed journals, academic conferences, educational webinars and more.

Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!

If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.

Materialism Team: Andrew Falkowski (co-creator, co-host, production) and Jared Duffy (production, marketing, and editing)

Keywords: vulcanized rubber history Charles Goodyear Fordlandia

Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Episode 21: μ: Auxetics Jul 22, 2020

Show notes

This episode covers a fascinating class of materials called auxetics. Experience tells us that when we pull a material in tension, it should shrink; auxetics do the opposite. By shifting, winding, or rotating, these materials get wider when stretched and thinner when compressed.

Articles Discussed:

Lakes R. Foam structures with a negative Poisson's ratio. [LINK]
2004 Evans, Auxetic polymers: a new range of materials [LINK]
2016 Saxena et al Three Decades of Auxetics Research − Materials with Negative Poisson's Ratio: A Review [LINK]
2006 Grima and Evans, Auxetic behavior from rotating triangles [LINK]
2007 Alderson and Alderson, Auxetic materials [LINK]
2016 Konaković and coworkers, Beyond developable: computational design and fabrication with auxetic materials. [LINK]

Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!

If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.

Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-creator, co-host, production), Andrew Falkowski (co-creator, co-host, production), Jared Duffy (production, marketing, and editing)

Keywords: auxetics strain expansion poissons ratio structures materials

Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Episode 20: Materials Informatics Jul 06, 2020

Show notes

Materials Informatics is the application of data science tools and techniques to materials research. In this episode, we examine how the uses of machine learning are applied to materials science. We try to give an honest appraisal of the pros and cons of this emerging field to separate the hype from reality and even provide some tips on how to get started in the field.

Articles Discussed:

Excellent YouTube tutorial for Materials Informatics from Dr. Sparks [LINK]
2020 Wang and coworkers Best Practices article in Chemistry of Materials [LINK]
GitHub repository for best practices jupyter notebooks [LINK]

This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project!

Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!

If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.

Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-creator, co-host, production), Andrew Falkowski (co-creator, co-host, production), Jared Duffy (production, marketing, and editing)

Keywords: machine learning materials informatics data science materials discovery new materials

Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Episode 19: μ: Filtering Out The Bad Jun 15, 2020

Show notes

How do N95 masks work? In this episode we dive into the science of diffusion and the materials that are used to control it. With the lingering threat of airborne COVID-19 it might be a good idea to learn about the materials that can protect you from it.

This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project!

Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!

If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.

Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-host, co-creator), Andrew Falkowski (co-host, co-creator), Jared Duffy production, marketing, and editing), Ramsey Issa (editing assistance).

Keywords: deformation DIC digital image correlation strain correlated solutions

Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Episode 18: Diamonds Aren't Forever Jun 01, 2020

Show notes

Diamonds aren't forever. They are a metastable phase of carbon that is slowly reverting to graphite. But before that happens it has proven an invaluable tool in industry for cutting through metals and boring miles into the earth. In this episode, we sit down with Colton Fox, a research engineer at US Synthetic, and discuss the process of manufacturing artificial, polycrystalline diamonds for drilling applications. From their dramatic history to present challenges, this episode is a great primer for anyone interested in learning more about PCD manufacturing.

http://pdc-guru.com/uploads/2/8/7/9/2879895/daw_d-scott_history-and-impact-of-synthetic-diamond-cutters-in-og.pdf https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9781845695620500157

This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project!

Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!

If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.

Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-host, co-creator), Andrew Falkowski (co-host, co-creator), Jared Duffy production, marketing, and editing), Ramsey Issa (editing assistance).

Keywords: polycrystalline diamond PCD PDC drilling oil carbon high temperature high pressure

Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Find out more at https://materialism.pinecast.co

Episode 17: Perfecting Polymers Processing May 04, 2020

Show notes

Making a polymer sample is one thing, but churning out large batches of consistent product brings a host of challenges. In this episode we interview Alex Reed, CEO of Fluence Analytics, a company specializing in polymer processing data. By leveraging real-time characterization and data analysis, we can optimize materials production to reduce waste and increase output. Learn how Fluence Analytics is tackling these challenges and more!

Articles for Further Reading:

Manivannan, G. (1997). UV-vis spectroscopy as an analytical tool for the characterization [LINK] .
Tieke, B. (2005). Makromolekulare Chemie. 2nd ed. [LINK]
Kratochvil P. Notes on Differential Refractometry and Light Scattering of Polymer or Copolymer Solutions in Mixed Solvents. [LINK]
Barrios VA,FTIR–An Essential Characterization Technique for Polymeric Materials. Infrared Spectroscopy-Materials Science, Engineering and Technology [LINK]

Bonus Episode

This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project!

Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!

If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.

Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-host, co-creator), Andrew Falkowski (co-host, co-creator), Jared Duffy production, marketing, and editing), Ramsey Issa (editing assistance).

Keywords: machine learning polymers processing FTIR UV-VIS characterization

Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Find out more at https://materialism.pinecast.co

Episode 16: Surfactants: A Slippery Soap Apr 06, 2020

Show notes

Soap wasn't always a household item. In this episode we dive into the history of soap, who developed it, and the materials used to make it. Throughout its history, soap underwent several changes in application and chemical formula in order to address changing purposes and environmental concerns. Today, as we are in the throws of a global pandemic, soap is getting more attention than ever before, but how effective is it against a virus?

Referenced Articles:

A Historical Review of Surfactants in Consumer Products [LINK]
"Quality Soaps Using Different Oil Blends." Journal of Miicrobiology and Biotechnology Research [LINK]

This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project!

Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!

If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.

Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-host, co-creator), Andrew Falkowski (co-host, co-creator), Jared Duffy production, marketing, and editing), Ramsey Issa (editing assistance).

Keywords: soap surfactant detergent history caustic

Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Find out more at https://materialism.pinecast.co

Episode 15: A Look Inside Ultrasound Mar 02, 2020

Show notes

In this episode we dive into the science behind ultrasound characterization for flaw internal, non-destructive flaw detection. Piezoelectric materials generate electricity in response to an applied stress. Through careful tuning, these materials can detect differences in ultrasonic vibrations that allow us to identify flaws deep within materials. At the end of the episode we sit down with Dr. Jeff Bates and discuss his work on hydrogels in ultrasound applications and his experience in materials consulting.

Referenced articles:

Nondestructive Air-coupled Ultrasound Measurement in the Food Industries [LINK]
A Study on Automatic Flaw Detection using MSSIM in Ultrasound Imaging of Steel Plate [LINK]
Laser Ultrasound [LINK]
Air Coupling [LINK]
Defect Detection in Additively Manufactured Components [LINK]

This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project!

Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!

If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.

Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-host, co-creator), Andrew Falkowski (co-host, co-creator), Jared Duffy production, marketing, and editing), Ramsey Issa (editing assistance).

Keywords: ultrasound hydrogels polymers flaw detection characterization piezoelectric

Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Find out more at https://materialism.pinecast.co

Episode 14: Self-Healing Rubber Feb 03, 2020

Show notes

What if materials could heal like we do? In this episode, we dive in to the science behind self-healing polymer materials, explore different approaches to polymers design, and peer into what the future may hold. Whether you are interested in soft-robotics, re-useable textiles, or just curious how a material could repair itself - this is the episode for you!

Articles Discussed:

2008 Ecole Supérieure de Physique et Chimie Industrielles [LINK]
2012 Chen and coworkers UC Irvine [LINK]
2013 Rahman and coworkers University of Brescia and Polytechnic of Milan [LINK]
2015 Das and coworkers Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung, Tampere University of Technology, Finland, & § Technische Universität Dresden [LINK]
2016 Xu and coworkers Guangxi University and South China University of Technology [LINK]
2017 Weitz group Harvard University [LINK]

This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project!

Thanks to Colobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!

If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.

Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-creator, co-host, production), Andrew Falkowski (co-creator, cohost, production), Jared Duffy (production, marketing, and editing).

Keywords: polymers self-healing rubber

Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Find out more at https://materialism.pinecast.co

Episode 13: The Science of Blacksmithing Jan 06, 2020

Show notes

Have you ever watched a blacksmith work an old railroad tie into an elaborate metal trinket and wonder "How do they do that?" or "Why are doing it that way" or "What is the purpose of that step?" In this episode, we dive into the science behind those exact questions. We talk about metal deformation, heat treatments, fracture, different steel types, and wrap up the episode interviewing Alexander Wickstrom an undergraduate in the Materials Science & Engineering Department at the University of Utah who led his "Materials Advantage Student Chapter" in their recent TMS Bladesmithing Competition with a truly one of a kind Damascus steel rapier.

Check out more of Alexander's work on Facebook

This episode is sponsored by Matmatch. Check out how they can help you find the perfect material for your next engineering project!

Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show!

If you have questions or feedback please send us emails at materialism.podcast@gmail.com or connect with us on social media: Instagram, Twitter.

Materialism Team: Taylor Sparks (co-host, co-creator), Andrew Falkowski (co-host, co-creator), Jared Duffy production, marketing, and editing), Ramsey Issa (editing assistance).

Keywords: deformation metal iron steel blacksmithing processing

Support Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/materialism

Find out more at https://materialism.pinecast.co