Module Descriptions
| Module | Description | Learning Objectives | ||
| Understanding the Material World | This module introduces the structure of the course, the basic properties of materials, and the dynamic relationship between materials and society (Materials shape society, but society shapes how we perceive and use materials). |
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| Clay: The Entanglement of Earth in the Age of Clay | This module focuses on the most primal material—earth itself (in the form of clay)—as used in the deep past and contrasts it with materials very much of the present and future: rare earth elements. As different as they may seem, they are similar not only as “earthy materials” but in terms of how humans have become inexorably dependent on them, even as these things are dependent on humans. |
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| Ceramics: Firing Clay and Flaking Stone | The manipulation of glass-like rocks and ceramics represent humans’ earliest materials innovations. This module examines the process and social impacts of shaping rock and clay, and uses these lessons to explore the possibilities for manipulating tomorrow’s functional ceramics. The creation of new processing approaches allows us to take advantage of different properties of a material, giving us insights into how we might rethink traditional approaches to dealing with materials corrosion. |
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| Concrete: Engineering Society through Social Spaces | First developed by the Romans millennia ago, to create unprecedented monumental public spaces and artificial ports—moldable, pourable, waterproof, durable and quick-setting—concrete is the most common building material in use today. This module explores the ancient Roman use of concrete and uses lessons learned to suggest how we can use new smart building materials in purposeful ways to address social needs. The use of a material for a particular application is shaped by what a culture needs and values; recognizing these influences is vital to using new materials in ways that combat materials degradation. |
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| Copper and Bronze: The Far-Reaching Consequences of Metallurgy | The discovery of the metals and the invention of metallurgy was both a technical and a social revolution. This module examines the economic and social dimensions of smelting and casting copper in the Bronze Age, and uses these lessons to predict the intensive sourcing and production needs of new photovoltaics. Understanding the relationships of trade, social class, and expertise is crucial to creating enduring materials for tomorrow’s world. |
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| Gold and Silver: Precious Metals and Coinage | Humans give value to materials in many different socially-informed ways. This module examines the creation of currency systems based on gold and silver, and uses these lessons to explore how we perceive the use of gold nanoparticles in medicine today. Finding new uses for non-corrosive materials may depend upon the value that we give to them in other circumstances. |
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| Steel: Carnegie and Creative Destruction | The mass industrial manipulation of iron ushered in the modern Industrial Revolution. This module looks at the entrepreneur Andrew Carnegie, the creation of the steel industry, and industrial innovation, and uses lessons learned to predict how the growing use of new magnesium alloys will shape business and industry. The process of innovating with a new material on a mass market level has winners and losers; understanding how making new materials may require re-ordering social, political, and economic systems enables us to anticipate important consequences of combating materials degradation with new materials. |
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| Aluminum: Alcoa and Anti-Trust | Aluminum first emerged as a metal in search of an application. This module examines the growth of the aluminum consumer market, and uses these lessons to anticipate the future of today’s new amorphous metals. When an individual company or small set of companies has a dominant market hold on a new material, governments may step in to encourage competition and innovation. Understanding the business and legal dimensions of materials manufacturing is key to preparing new materials and techniques to address corrosion problems. |
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| Polymers: Fantastic Plastics in Postwar America | As an invented class of materials created in a modern laboratory, polymers have very unique properties and also widely debated uses. While some consider polymers to be the ‘material of the future’, others blame plastics for causing major pollution problems. This module looks at the invention and innovative marketing of Poly-T, more commonly known as Tupperware, and gathers lessons learned to inform the creation of more sustainable bio-polymers. Ultimately, social perceptions of a material are powerful determinants of its use, and we must think strategically about how to market new materials to address the needs and values of consumers. |
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| Writing Materials: The Politics and Preservation of Knowledge | The ways that we store and distribute information are not neutral, but have social and political implications for the societies in which these materials function. This module examines the wide variety of materials that have been used for information storage, and uses lessons learned to predict the potentials and pitfalls of new magnetic storage materials. The degradation of different materials for information storage can have a profound impact upon democracy in a society, who has access to information, and whose stories are recorded and accessible. |
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| Semiconductors | Semiconductors have forever changed human-human and human-material interactions because they are the foundation of the computing revolution and form the basis of increasingly ubiquitous digital devices. This module looks at how our use of semiconductor-based devices impacts individual human relationships, and draws lessons learned for designing needs-based applications for new 2D materials. As semiconducting materials become more invisibly embedded in our everyday lives, and even in our own persons, only intentional design will ensure that they serve us, versus us serving them. |
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| Carbon | We will delve into an element, carbon, that is a fundamental component of most biological systems on earth and of many materials used in societies throughout history and around the globe. As we likely know, carbon is also entangled in a number of major transformations that will be directly impacting the lives of individuals and societies worldwide. As we prepare to confront this future, we will relate science fiction literature and the work of the imagination to addressing the engineering challenges of future societies. |
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| Photovoltaics | This week focuses on a material that could play a tremendous role in mitigating climate change. Photovoltaics are materials that can convert sunlight to electricity. Because this process can be carbon neutral there is currently an explosion in the use of PV materials. This module explores how these materials work, what materials can be used, why they are decreasing is cost so significantly and what innovations are being explored for these materials and how they can contribute to a more sustainable future.
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| Membranes | Clean drinking water has a long history of its relationship with materials. Since civilization began materials have been used to procure, transport and store drinking water. As society grows the availability of clean water is a growing crisis. Polymeric membranes offer one solution to the problem. Through the use of reverse osmosis it is possible to desalinate sea water and create drinking water. This process was discovered less than 75 years ago. Today millions of gallons of water are purified through reverse osmosis. However there are tremendous challenges associated with the materials and process including energy costs, fouling etc. This module examines the challenges and opportunities afforded by membranes to help address ta variety of needs including the critical need for clean water.
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| Plastics Recycling |
The use of plastics is exploding. Some plastics have a useful lifetime measured in minutes. In
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