Materialism: A Materials Science Podcast
Episodes
Episode 18: Diamonds Aren't Forever
01 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 invaluab...
Episode 17: Perfecting Polymers Processing
04 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 A...
Episode 16: Surfactants: A Slippery Soap
06 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 15: A Look Inside Ultrasound
02 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we dive into the science behind ultrasound characterization for flaw internal, non-destructive flaw detection. Piezoelectric materials...
Episode 14: Self-Healing Rubber
03 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What if materials could heal like we do? In this episode, we dive in to the science behind self-healing polymer materials, explore different approache...
Episode 13: The Science of Blacksmithing
06 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 a...
Episode 12: Recycling and the Science of Separation
02 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 m...
Episode 11: The Ultimate Construction Material
04 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A great empire demands an equally great building material. In this episode, we cover the development and implementation of cement and concrete through...
Episode 10: Seeing With Electrons
07 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The optical microscope was discovered in the 17th century and ever since has been a staple of scientific discovery. It uncovered germs and let humanit...
Episode 9: Materials That Remember
02 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine stepping on your favorite glasses and bending the frame horribly out of shape. Now imagine immersing these glasses in boiling water and seeing...
Episode 8: Yes, Chocolate is a Material
05 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that chocolate has a crystal structure? We all think of metals, ceramics, polymers, electronic materials, composites and so forth as mate...
Episode 7: Gore-Tex: Structuring a Company like a Material
02 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Episode 6: Hemodialysis and the Birth of Artificial Organs
03 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 artifi...
Episode 5: Solving Structures with X-Rays
06 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Episode 4: Turning Heat into Electricity
31 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we talk about thermoelectrics, which are materials that can convert heat into electricity or vice versa. Since their inception almost ...
Episode 3: Making Materials in a Microwave
04 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we learn about an unexpected approach to processing materials: the common kitchen microwave. While most people only think about the mi...
Episode 2: Materials Commercialization: Batch 21
04 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 chemistr...
Episode 1: The History of Steel
07 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Materialism Podcast! In this episode we cover the most ubiquitous and important engineering material of all ti...
Introduction to Materialism
07 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 epi...