Difference between revisions of "Team:Stanford-Brown/Plastic"
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<p>Most plastics are long organic polymers with a high molecular weight. When these long chains of monomers are prestretched in their manufacturing they have a relatively high level of organization. When heated to their glass transition temperature, these prestretched plastics will contract in the dimention that they were prestreched. With the use of pigments, (and in our case, biopigments) we can select where and how the prestretched plastic contracts. By drawing these pigments on the plastic and using infrared light from the sun, we can make the plastic fold. This is because in a flat sheet of prestretched plastic, drawing a dark line on the plastic will allow that section of the plastic to heat up and contract faster than the rest of the plastic. Having the dark line only on one side of the plastic will cause the plastic to fold toward that side as seen in <b>figure 1</b>.</p> | <p>Most plastics are long organic polymers with a high molecular weight. When these long chains of monomers are prestretched in their manufacturing they have a relatively high level of organization. When heated to their glass transition temperature, these prestretched plastics will contract in the dimention that they were prestreched. With the use of pigments, (and in our case, biopigments) we can select where and how the prestretched plastic contracts. By drawing these pigments on the plastic and using infrared light from the sun, we can make the plastic fold. This is because in a flat sheet of prestretched plastic, drawing a dark line on the plastic will allow that section of the plastic to heat up and contract faster than the rest of the plastic. Having the dark line only on one side of the plastic will cause the plastic to fold toward that side as seen in <b>figure 1</b>.</p> | ||
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| + | <div class="pp"> | ||
<p>By having plastics fold, we can quickly prototype new designs of self polding by simply printing on biopigments onto plastic sheets and applying infrared light to the plastic. These designs can range from simple cups and containers to complex solar sails and arrays.</p> | <p>By having plastics fold, we can quickly prototype new designs of self polding by simply printing on biopigments onto plastic sheets and applying infrared light to the plastic. These designs can range from simple cups and containers to complex solar sails and arrays.</p> | ||
| − | <p>Figures 2 and 3 on the right show the before and after folding photos from figure 1. Figures 4 and 5 demonstrate the folding mechanism of using pigment on polystyrene sheets. Figures 6 and 7 below show the before and after | + | <p>Figures 2 and 3 on the right show the before and after folding photos from figure 1. Figures 4 and 5 demonstrate the folding mechanism of using pigment on polystyrene sheets. Figures 6 and 7 below show the before and after photos of testing the degree of contraction in a two dimentionally prestretched polystyrene sheet. We find that they contract to roughtly 11% of it's original area. Figures 9 and 10 demonstrate the same folding mechanism as figure 1 with a different box design. Figures 11 and 12 is one of our many attempts to make a pigmented design to fold into a water tight container. Figure 13 shows some of the designs what was folded using sunlight. Figure 14 and 15 shows the microbial biopigments we grew to pigment our plastics.</p> |
| − | + | </div><!-- end pp --> | |
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<div class="col-md-4"> | <div class="col-md-4"> | ||
<a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/1/14/SB2015_tapeprefold.jpg" target=_blank> | <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/1/14/SB2015_tapeprefold.jpg" target=_blank> | ||
| − | + | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/1/14/SB2015_tapeprefold.jpg" class="img-responsive img-rounded"> | |
</a> | </a> | ||
<p><b>Figure 2</b> Polystyrene joints adhered to a cardboard substrate</p> | <p><b>Figure 2</b> Polystyrene joints adhered to a cardboard substrate</p> | ||
<a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/1/11/SB2015_tapepostfold.jpg" target=_blank> | <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/1/11/SB2015_tapepostfold.jpg" target=_blank> | ||
| − | + | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/1/11/SB2015_tapepostfold.jpg" class="img-responsive img-rounded"> | |
</a> | </a> | ||
<p><b>Figure 3</b> After heating joints with infrared lamp the plastic folded</p> | <p><b>Figure 3</b> After heating joints with infrared lamp the plastic folded</p> | ||
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<div class="col-md-4"> | <div class="col-md-4"> | ||
<a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/c/c6/SB2015_prefold.JPG" target=_blank> | <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/c/c6/SB2015_prefold.JPG" target=_blank> | ||
| − | + | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/c/c6/SB2015_prefold.JPG" class="img-responsive img-rounded"> | |
</a> | </a> | ||
<p><b>Figure 4</b> Polystyrene sheet cut into a box pattern with black pigment on inner edges</p> | <p><b>Figure 4</b> Polystyrene sheet cut into a box pattern with black pigment on inner edges</p> | ||
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<a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/e/eb/SB2015_postfold.JPG" target=_blank> | <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/e/eb/SB2015_postfold.JPG" target=_blank> | ||
| − | + | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/e/eb/SB2015_postfold.JPG" class="img-responsive img-rounded"> | |
</a> | </a> | ||
<p><b>Figure 5</b> Self-folded box after applying heat from infrared lamp</p> | <p><b>Figure 5</b> Self-folded box after applying heat from infrared lamp</p> | ||
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<div class="col-md-4"> | <div class="col-md-4"> | ||
<a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/9/9a/SB2015_beforeshrink.jpg" target=_blank> | <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/9/9a/SB2015_beforeshrink.jpg" target=_blank> | ||
| − | + | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/9/9a/SB2015_beforeshrink.jpg" class="img-responsive img-rounded"> | |
</a> | </a> | ||
<p><b>Figure 6</b> Before heating the plastics: Polystyrene (PS) and Polylactic Acid (PLA)</p> | <p><b>Figure 6</b> Before heating the plastics: Polystyrene (PS) and Polylactic Acid (PLA)</p> | ||
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<div class="col-md-4"> | <div class="col-md-4"> | ||
<a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/c/c0/SB2015_aftershrink.jpg" target=_blank> | <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/c/c0/SB2015_aftershrink.jpg" target=_blank> | ||
| − | + | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/c/c0/SB2015_aftershrink.jpg" class="img-responsive img-rounded"> | |
</a> | </a> | ||
<p><b>Figure 7</b> After heating the plastics evenly the plastics contracted in two dimensions to 11% its original area</p> | <p><b>Figure 7</b> After heating the plastics evenly the plastics contracted in two dimensions to 11% its original area</p> | ||
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<div class="col-md-4"> | <div class="col-md-4"> | ||
<a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/4/48/SB2015_printingplastic.jpg" target=_blank> | <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/4/48/SB2015_printingplastic.jpg" target=_blank> | ||
| − | + | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/4/48/SB2015_printingplastic.jpg" class="img-responsive img-rounded"> | |
</a> | </a> | ||
<p><b>Figure 8</b> Printing pigment on sanded plastic sheets</p> | <p><b>Figure 8</b> Printing pigment on sanded plastic sheets</p> | ||
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<div class="col-md-4"> | <div class="col-md-4"> | ||
<a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/f/fa/SB2015_prebox.jpg" target=_blank> | <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/f/fa/SB2015_prebox.jpg" target=_blank> | ||
| − | + | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/f/fa/SB2015_prebox.jpg" class="img-responsive img-rounded"> | |
</a> | </a> | ||
<p><b>Figure 9</b> Before heating polystyrene joints adhered to cardboard substrate</p> | <p><b>Figure 9</b> Before heating polystyrene joints adhered to cardboard substrate</p> | ||
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<div class="col-md-4"> | <div class="col-md-4"> | ||
<a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/b/b0/SB2015_postbox.jpg" target=_blank> | <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/b/b0/SB2015_postbox.jpg" target=_blank> | ||
| − | + | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/b/b0/SB2015_postbox.jpg" class="img-responsive img-rounded"> | |
</a> | </a> | ||
<p><b>Figure 10</b> Heating causes the plastic to shrink and fold the cardboard</p> | <p><b>Figure 10</b> Heating causes the plastic to shrink and fold the cardboard</p> | ||
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<div class="col-md-4"> | <div class="col-md-4"> | ||
<a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/c/ce/SB2015_beforesealbox.JPG" target=_blank> | <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/c/ce/SB2015_beforesealbox.JPG" target=_blank> | ||
| − | + | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/c/ce/SB2015_beforesealbox.JPG" class="img-responsive img-rounded"> | |
</a> | </a> | ||
<p><b>Figure 11</b> Simple pigment pattern on polystyrene sheet</p> | <p><b>Figure 11</b> Simple pigment pattern on polystyrene sheet</p> | ||
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<div class="col-md-4"> | <div class="col-md-4"> | ||
<a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/2/22/SB2015_midsealbox.JPG" target=_blank> | <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/2/22/SB2015_midsealbox.JPG" target=_blank> | ||
| − | + | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/2/22/SB2015_midsealbox.JPG" class="img-responsive img-rounded"> | |
</a> | </a> | ||
<p><b>Figure 12</b> Plastic sheet folding up to a more cup-like container</p> | <p><b>Figure 12</b> Plastic sheet folding up to a more cup-like container</p> | ||
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<div class="col-md-4"> | <div class="col-md-4"> | ||
<a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/e/eb/SB2015_plasticSet.JPG" target=_blank> | <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/e/eb/SB2015_plasticSet.JPG" target=_blank> | ||
| − | + | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/e/eb/SB2015_plasticSet.JPG" class="img-responsive img-rounded"> | |
</a> | </a> | ||
<p><b>Figure 13</b> Using sunlight to heat and bend polystyrene</p> | <p><b>Figure 13</b> Using sunlight to heat and bend polystyrene</p> | ||
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<div class="col-md-4"> | <div class="col-md-4"> | ||
<a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/e/ec/SB2015_biopigmentthree.JPG" target=_blank> | <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/e/ec/SB2015_biopigmentthree.JPG" target=_blank> | ||
| − | + | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/e/ec/SB2015_biopigmentthree.JPG" class="img-responsive img-rounded"> | |
</a> | </a> | ||
<p><b>Figure 13</b> Growing biopigment producing <i>E. coli</i> to use to print on plastic</p> | <p><b>Figure 13</b> Growing biopigment producing <i>E. coli</i> to use to print on plastic</p> | ||
Revision as of 02:11, 19 September 2015
Plastic Folding
Testing and Applications
Figure 1 Using infrared light we can make the plastic polystyrene joint
in between the carboard substrate to contract and fold
Why plastics?
Plastic is an extremely versatile material that can be used in a multitude of applications such as in medical devices, construction, prototyping, and much more. Currently, many common plastics require the use of petrochemicals to manufacture. To utilize the benefits and versatility of plastics in long term space travel and space colonies would require the importation of petrochemicals into space. With the limited volume and mass payloads of space travel, our team wanted to try to find an alternative to manufaturing plastics in space.
Our team looked to synthetic biology to find a solution to the manufacture of plastics in space to minimize the use of petrochemicals. This summer we wanted to engineer the bacteria Escherichia Coli to produce two kinds of plastic: Polystyrene and P(3HB). The prospect of being able to send a sample of bacteria into a space station or colony and having that bacteria manufacture plastic is an exciting prospect for our team.
How does plastic fold?
Most plastics are long organic polymers with a high molecular weight. When these long chains of monomers are prestretched in their manufacturing they have a relatively high level of organization. When heated to their glass transition temperature, these prestretched plastics will contract in the dimention that they were prestreched. With the use of pigments, (and in our case, biopigments) we can select where and how the prestretched plastic contracts. By drawing these pigments on the plastic and using infrared light from the sun, we can make the plastic fold. This is because in a flat sheet of prestretched plastic, drawing a dark line on the plastic will allow that section of the plastic to heat up and contract faster than the rest of the plastic. Having the dark line only on one side of the plastic will cause the plastic to fold toward that side as seen in figure 1.
By having plastics fold, we can quickly prototype new designs of self polding by simply printing on biopigments onto plastic sheets and applying infrared light to the plastic. These designs can range from simple cups and containers to complex solar sails and arrays.
Figures 2 and 3 on the right show the before and after folding photos from figure 1. Figures 4 and 5 demonstrate the folding mechanism of using pigment on polystyrene sheets. Figures 6 and 7 below show the before and after photos of testing the degree of contraction in a two dimentionally prestretched polystyrene sheet. We find that they contract to roughtly 11% of it's original area. Figures 9 and 10 demonstrate the same folding mechanism as figure 1 with a different box design. Figures 11 and 12 is one of our many attempts to make a pigmented design to fold into a water tight container. Figure 13 shows some of the designs what was folded using sunlight. Figure 14 and 15 shows the microbial biopigments we grew to pigment our plastics.
Figure 2 Polystyrene joints adhered to a cardboard substrate
Figure 3 After heating joints with infrared lamp the plastic folded
Figure 4 Polystyrene sheet cut into a box pattern with black pigment on inner edges
Figure 5 Self-folded box after applying heat from infrared lamp
Figure 6 Before heating the plastics: Polystyrene (PS) and Polylactic Acid (PLA)
Figure 7 After heating the plastics evenly the plastics contracted in two dimensions to 11% its original area
Figure 8 Printing pigment on sanded plastic sheets
Figure 9 Before heating polystyrene joints adhered to cardboard substrate
Figure 10 Heating causes the plastic to shrink and fold the cardboard
Figure 11 Simple pigment pattern on polystyrene sheet
Figure 12 Plastic sheet folding up to a more cup-like container
Figure 13 Using sunlight to heat and bend polystyrene
Figure 13 Growing biopigment producing E. coli to use to print on plastic