Upper-division undergraduate students are introduced to polymer processing using material extrusion fused filament fabrication 3D printing to make poly(lactic acid) (PLA) mechanical testing specimens. Computer aided design and slicing software packages are used to demonstrate the process of preparing 3D computer models for printing. Following the…

This exercise encompassed the construction and use of a microcontroller-based laser refractometer. The instrument, which does not require a high skill level to build, primarily consisted of a line laser, optical sensor, several 3-D printed parts and printed circuit boards, and a microcontroller development board. Construction and testing of the…

Using tangible models to help students visualize chemical structures in three dimensions has been a mainstay of chemistry education for many years. Conventional chemistry modeling kits are, however, limited in the types and accuracy of the molecules, bonds and structures they can be used to build. The recent development of 3D printing technology…

Hands-on experiences in biomechanics and biomaterials courses are an important part of biomedical engineering education. Curricula of those courses often include laboratory modules on material testing and characterization. Unfortunately, large and expensive mechanical testing equipment may not be available to all students, thus limiting students'…

3D printing technology has an enormous potential to apply to chemical engineering education. In this paper, we describe several designs of 3D printed mesoreactors (Y-shape, T-shape, and Long channel shape) using the following steps: reactor sketching, CAD modeling, and reactor printing. With a focus on continuous plug flow mesoreactors (PFRs, i.d.…

3D printing was used to prepare models of the calculated geometries of unsaturated organic structures. Incorporation of p orbital isosurfaces into the models enables students in introductory organic chemistry courses to have hands-on experience with the concept of orbital alignment in strained and unstrained p systems.

This article presents the results of a study on the use of 3-D printed models in a science classroom for students with visual impairments and examines whether the use of these models impacts student conceptual understanding and misconceptions related to geosciences concepts, specifically plate tectonics. Data were collected one week prior to…

Advances in 3D printing technology over the past decade have led to its expansion into all subfields of science, including chemistry. This technology provides useful teaching tools that facilitate communication of difficult chemical concepts to students and researchers. Presented here is the use of 3D printing technology to create tangible models…

Three-dimensional (3D) chemical models are a well-established learning tool used to enhance the understanding of chemical structures by converting two-dimensional paper or screen outputs into realistic three-dimensional objects. While commercial atom model kits are readily available, there is a surprising lack of large molecular and orbital models…

A significant body of the literature in science education examines students' conceptions of the dissolution of ionic solids in water, often showing that students lack proper understanding of the particulate nature of dissolving materials as well as holding numerous misconceptions about the dissolution process. Consequently, chemical educators have…