About half of the solid wastes produced each year end up in a landfill. A quarter gets recycled, 10% is composted, and the rest is burned. Why isn't more being recycled? Is this trend going to change? What will be the impact of China's new policy regarding impurities? This episode dives into recycling and we interview Dr. James Nagel of EDX Magnetics, a company with an innovative new tool for separating metals that could transform the recycling landscape. References For Further Reading: EDX Magn...
Dec 02, 2019•52 min•Ep. 12
A great empire demands an equally great building material. In this episode, we cover the development and implementation of cement and concrete throughout human history. We are joined by Marie Jackson, a research associate professor of geology and geophysics at the University of Utah, and an expert on Roman concrete. She explains how Romans were able to develop concrete and why Roman concrete is able to endure for thousands of years. Finally, we cover some new and exciting concrete technologies t...
Nov 04, 2019•53 min•Ep. 11
The optical microscope was discovered in the 17th century and ever since has been a staple of scientific discovery. It uncovered germs and let humanity investigate the microscopic world. However, optical microscopes face a limit to their resolution since they rely on visible light. If materials scientists were going to ever probe atoms, grains, domains, and other features smaller than a few hundred nanometers, it would be necessary to fundamentally change the way we see matter. In this episode w...
Oct 07, 2019•49 min•Ep. 10
Imagine stepping on your favorite glasses and bending the frame horribly out of shape. Now imagine immersing these glasses in boiling water and seeing them snap back into their original shape with no evidence of ever being deformed. Shape memory alloys are as close to real-life science fiction materials as it gets! In this episode, we dive into what the materials are, their discovery, how they work, and lots of cool applications. Referenced Articles: Shape memory alloys: a state of art review [ ...
Sep 02, 2019•38 min•Ep. 9
Did you know that chocolate has a crystal structure? We all think of metals, ceramics, polymers, electronic materials, composites and so forth as materials. But what else? Is chocolate an engineering material? In this episode we dive into this amazing substance and describe the critical processing steps that makes it a unique including regional differences in cocoa, chocolate tempering and more. Along the way we'll cover the fundamental materials science topic of crystallization and solidificati...
Aug 05, 2019•42 min•Ep. 8
Can you structure a company like a material? In this episode we cover the fascinating discovery of Gore-Tex, and the equally fascinating company that created it. First, we delve in the materials science that allows Gore-Tex to repel water, while remaining breathable. We then, discuss the unique, non-hierarchical structure of W.L. Gore and Associates that has allowed them to continuously innovate over the past 60 years. Referenced Articles: Innovation Democracy: W.L. Gore's Original Mana...
Jul 02, 2019•31 min•Ep. 7
What role do materials play in artificial organs? Are there materials that body simply won't accept? In this episode we talk about the birth of artificial organs as we describe the history of hemodialysis which is critical for treating chronic kidney disease. We introduce materials science fundamentals associated with mass transport across semi-permeable membranes such as Ficks First Law. We then tell the story of Willem Kolff and others who pioneered the invention of hemodialysis and describe t...
Jun 03, 2019•41 min•Ep. 6
In this episode we cover the history and development of crystallography, the study of the structures that make up the materials around us. The history of this field is filled with accidental discoveries, ingenious inventions, and drama between those who study it. One of the most important discoveries to come out of this field is x-ray diffraction. This important characterization technique allowed scientists to delve deeper into crystal structures than ever before. We discuss new advances in x-ra...
May 06, 2019•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 5
In this episode we talk about thermoelectrics, which are materials that can convert heat into electricity or vice versa. Since their inception almost 200 years ago there have been major advances in thermoelectric efficiency and they have found their way into some amazing applications such as NASA’s deep space probes or the Mars rover Curiosity. For the latter half of the 20th century, thermoelectric materials research was relatively stagnant with little improvement in materials. However, in the ...
Mar 31, 2019•58 min•Ep. 4
In this episode we learn about an unexpected approach to processing materials: the common kitchen microwave. While most people only think about the microwave when it’s time to reheat some leftovers, there has been a surprising scientific interest from materials researchers in the last few decades. In fact, microwave processing can achieve pretty remarkable feats such as extremely rapid sintering and heat treatment of materials as well as providing a means for microstructural control in alloys. T...
Mar 04, 2019•42 min•Ep. 3
In this episode we sit down with Dr. Chett Boxley, the co-founder of Glycosurf LLC and Batch 21. Chett is a serial entrepreneur with a PhD in chemistry from the University of Utah and a long history of bringing products out of the laboratory and into the market. Chett describes the unique challenge of both developing a new materials-based product and also selling it and running a young startup. You can learn more about Batch 21 and their green skin care products by visiting batch-21.com . For th...
Feb 04, 2019•35 min•Ep. 2
Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Materialism Podcast! In this episode we cover the most ubiquitous and important engineering material of all time: steel. The story of steel is fascinating and ties into the history of the Industrial Revolution, the birth of capitalism, and so much more. It would be hard to think of another material that did more to change society. Thanks to Kolobyte and Alphabot for letting us use their music in the show! If you have questions or feedback please send us em...
Jan 07, 2019•41 min•Ep. 1
What is materials science? What is the Materialism Podcast? Find the answers to these questions and more in this trailer for what is to come! Each episode includes a brief general introduction to the topic so that any listener can understand the subject matter. We hope you’ll enjoy the podcast. Feel free to connect with us on instagram at @Materialism.podcast. You can also send us questions or suggested podcast topics at [email protected].
Jan 07, 2019•3 min
