Materials science is a fascinating area of research that is often at the cutting edge of science and engineering. It involves both developing new materials and improving on existing ones, and has important applications both for improving daily life and for advancing other fields of research.
A few examples of materials science at work include scientists who study semiconductors are working on ways to improve solar cells-making them more efficient, longer-lasting and less expensive-with the potential for providing an alternative source for electricity. In the field of bioengineering, researchers are working on biocompatible materials for many applications to treat injury or disease such as improving prosthetic joints and limbs or providing scaffold material to regenerate tissue using the body's own cells. Materials scientists have also developed composite materials for construction that conserve wood while providing greater strength.
If these materials science topics sound interesting to you, then you should check out the Project Ideas below:
Take the Sally Ride TOYchallenge
Working as a toy designer sounds like the coolest job ever, but you may be surprised how much brain power it takes. In this project you can design an entry to the Sally Ride TOYchallenge that teaches, demonstrates, or tests a scientific concept.
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It's Hard Work to Work Harden! Learn How to Make Metals Stronger
It's easy to forget that metals are everywhere and in nearly everything. They are a part of our lives in so many ways that we hardly notice them. But just stop and think about it. We use metal spoons to eat and cook our food. Cars, bikes, and planes are composed of metals. Metals are in our furniture and part of your school supplies. Some people even have metal in the dental work in their mouths. Their strength and dependence is obviously very important. But what are metals? In this science fair project, not only will you learn what a metal is, but you'll learn a way to make metals stronger!
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Stressed Out? Take a Break with this Project!
Is an I-beam as strong as a solid beam of the same size? What if you include weight in the comparison: which beam has the greater strength-to-weight ratio? Would an I-beam be stronger than a solid rectangular beam of the same weight? What about other structural shapes (e.g., T-beams, U-beams)? In this project you can find out by setting up a test stand, putting on your safety goggles and measuring how much stress these building components can handle before they snap.
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The Viscosity of Motor Oil
The insides of a car engine get very hot when the engine is running. Motor oil lubricates the moving parts, to keep the engine operating smoothly. What happens to motor oil as the engine temperature goes up?
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Pounding Papyrus: How Ancient Egyptians Made the World's First Paper
It's hard to imagine a world without paper. You wouldn't have things like books, cards, comics, newspaper, construction paper, notebooks, cereal boxes, or that nice sound of shredding wrapping paper on your birthday. There was a time, though, when the only thing people had to write on were slabs of soft, squishy clay. When these slabs dried in the sun, they preserved simple ideas, but they were heavy, like carrying around a load of rocks. Not exactly easy to put in your pocket and carry around. Fortunately, some clever people discovered that a plant could help them out, and in this science fair project, you'll recreate the steps they used to make the world's first paper, and test its strength against that of modern paper that you use every day.
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Fishing Line Strength
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If you like to fish and you'd rather
not be telling the story of "the one that got away," then this is a project for you. What combination of properties makes for the best fishing line? Here...
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Talk About a Bad Hair Day!
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Did you know that you can make a simple hygrometer (a device for measuring the relative humidity of the air) with hair? This type of hygrometer is easy to build (for instructions, see:
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The Leaning Tower of Pasta
Here's a project for a budding architect or structural engineer. Can you make a strong, lightweight tower using only uncooked spaghetti and white glue? In this project, you'll learn about materials testing and apply what you learn to building and testing structures that are both strong
and light.
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Bacterial Resistant Materials and the Best Disinfectant
If you'd rate yourself high on the bacteriophobia scale, just keep on scrolling down to the next project. Bacteria are all around us, and normally our body's defenses keep us blissfully unaware of them. If you don't mind finding out where they're lurking in your house, then you might find this project interesting.
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He Huffed, and He Puffed, But Didn't Blow the House Down! How Can Straw Make a Sturdy Building?
In the fairy tale of the three little pigs, the wolf huffed and puffed and blew down the first pig's straw house. But in reality, straw, tied into bales, is a viable building material that, when used properly, makes sturdy and energy-efficient buildings. Straw is a renewable resource that is available all over the world since it is the byproduct of growing grain. In this science fair project, you will test a straw bale covered with stucco to see if it's water resistant, and evaluate if it's comparable to conventional building materials.
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Index of Materials Science Project Ideas |
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