Nanocellulose - Enhancing STEAM Education
We are really excited about introducing you to nanocellulose as a nontoxic, sustainable, and reneweable material to enhance STEAM Education – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math. As you can see from the other web pages in Nanocellulose Valley, this unique material is being used by arts and scientists alike to take advanatage of nature’s super polymer!
Nanocellulose – or cellulose nanofibers (CNF) – are regularly produced at the Process Development Center and readily available for use in classroom projects. Purchase samples at the Nanocellulose Store.
Try one of these sample projects using Nanocellulose
The creative possibilities for applying CNF to materials through classroom STEAM activities are nearly endless—and so are the captivating teaching opportunities while explaining all the cool science behind how it works. Try incorporating some of these ideas into your curriculum:
- Puddling: Kids can get creative by mixing CNF with (or without) paint on plastic. Let the material fully dry, and then peel before creating planets, flowers, sun catchers, and more.
- Flexible Experiments: Let kids get curious by applying CNF with different artistic processes like air-drying, baking, microwaving, and even freezedrying to see how fast it can dry in different methods.
- Paper Mâché: Try using CNF as a material for paper mâché and add it to fabric, cardboard, leaves, pine cones, and other found objects and materials.
- Strength Training: Kids will love seeing how a humble material like CNF can have secret powers of strength! Apply it to wood, cardboard, fabric, eggs, and other fun materials.
- Slime Time: Did you know that anything you can do with regular school glue, you can do with CNF? Try making slime with CNF and dish soap.
- DIY Concrete: Add CNF to sand and make your very own batch of rockhard concrete. Even better? Add CNF to concrete and make it even stronger.
To learn more about adding CNF to your curriculum, contact Marchelle Simms at marchelle.simms@maine.edu