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Collection:
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NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Collection
Collection
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Collection
Collection
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Name of Image:
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Binary Colloidal Alloy Test
Name_of_Image
Binary Colloidal Alloy Test
Name of Image
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Full Description:
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Close-up view of the Binary Colloidal Alloy Test during an experiment run aboard the Russian Mir space station. BCAT is part of an extensive series of experiments plarned to investigate the fundamental properties of colloids so that scientists can make colloids more useful for technological applications. Some of the colloids studied in BCAT are made of two different sized particles (binary colloidal alloys) that are very tiny, uniform plastic spheres. Under the proper conditions, these colloids can arrange themselves in a pattern to form crystals, which may have many unique properties that may form the basis of new classes of light switches, displays, and optical devices that can fuel the evolution of the next generation of computer and communication technologies. This Slow Growth hardware consisted of a 35-mm camera aimed toward a module which contained 10 separate colloid samples. To begin the experiment, one of the astronauts would mix the samples to disperse the colloidal particles. Then the hardware operated autonomously, taking photos of the colloidal samples over a 90-day period. The investigation proved that gravity plays a central role in the formation and stability of these types of colloidal crystal structures. The investigation also helped identify the optimum conditions for the formation of colloidal crystals, which will be used for optimizing future microgravity experiments in the study of colloidal physics. Dr. David Weitz of the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Peter Pusey of the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, are the principal investigators.
Full_Description
Close-up view of the Binary Colloidal Alloy Test during an experiment run aboard the Russian Mir space station. BCAT is part of an extensive series of experiments plarned to investigate the fundamental properties of colloids so that scientists can make colloids more useful for technological applications. Some of the colloids studied in BCAT are made of two different sized particles (binary colloidal alloys) that are very tiny, uniform plastic spheres. Under the proper conditions, these colloids can arrange themselves in a pattern to form crystals, which may have many unique properties that may form the basis of new classes of light switches, displays, and optical devices that can fuel the evolution of the next generation of computer and communication technologies. This Slow Growth hardware consisted of a 35-mm camera aimed toward a module which contained 10 separate colloid samples. To begin the experiment, one of the astronauts would mix the samples to disperse the colloidal particles. Then the hardware operated autonomously, taking photos of the colloidal samples over a 90-day period. The investigation proved that gravity plays a central role in the formation and stability of these types of colloidal crystal structures. The investigation also helped identify the optimum conditions for the formation of colloidal crystals, which will be used for optimizing future microgravity experiments in the study of colloidal physics. Dr. David Weitz of the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Peter Pusey of the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, are the principal investigators.
Full Description
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Date of Image:
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2001-01-24
Date_of_Image
2001-01-24
Date of Image
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Category:
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Microgravity
Category
Microgravity
Category
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(MRPO) MRD-SPD Discipline(s):
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Materials Science
(MRPO)_MRD-SPD_Disci pline(s)
Materials Science
(MRPO) MRD-SPD Discipline(s)
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(MRPO) Subject Type:
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Hardware
(MRPO)_Subject_Type
Hardware
(MRPO) Subject Type
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term:
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Mir
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term:
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BCAT
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term:
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colloid
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facet_what:
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Russian Mir Space Station
facet_what
Russian Mir Space Station
facet_what
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facet_where:
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Pennsylvania
facet_where
Pennsylvania
facet_where
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facet_where:
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United Kingdom
facet_where
United Kingdom
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)
facet_where
Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)
facet_where
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Reference Number:
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MSFC-75-SA-4105-2C
Reference_Number
MSFC-75-SA-4105-2C
Reference Number
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MIX #:
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0100114
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NIX #:
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MSFC-0100114
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MSFC Negative Number:
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0100114
MSFC_Negative_Number
0100114
MSFC Negative Number
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UID:
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SPD-MARSH-0100114
UID
SPD-MARSH-0100114
UID
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original url:
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original_url
original url
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