User:Cjcampo/ENES 100/Water beads

Problem
To develop a demo that exploits the properties of "water beads" for use in explaining such phenomena as index of refraction, hydrophilicity, and superabsorbency.

Conceive
In order to create applications of water beads, diaper and mop, a series of properties of water beads were tested.

Special properties of water beads
Variables held constantː
 * Environmental conditions
 * Water source
 * Experiment container (styrofoam plate at 9 grams)
 * Measurement tool (ruler, thermometer, etc.)
 * Initial water bead diameter for each trial

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

According to the data,the shredded water beads showed a greater evaporation rate than whole water beads due to more total surface area in contact with the surrounding air. Also, notice that the increase in number of whole water beads with each trial had a significant increase in the time it took to evaporate while there was almost no noticeable change for the time to evaporate of the shredded water beads.

Water beads absorb water gradually. The rate of absorption changes over time with the changing diameter. The test of the amount of water absorbed by a single water bead was conducted in the same place, same room temperature (25 degrees centigrade), same pressure (1 atm), and in the same sealed containers with sufficient water (more than 10ml for a single water bead).

Volume changing alone with absorption time

The rate of absorption of multiple water beads in the fixed amount water is depending on the number of beads immersed in the water. The rate of absorption of multiple water beads was tested in the mix amount of water (25ml) in a washer shape container. Tests were conducted in the same place, same room temperature (25 degrees centigrade), same pressure (1 atm), and in the same sealed containers with 25 ml of water. The observable height change on the wall of the washer can be used to determine the volume change by integration. The volume of water absorbed by water beads can be calculate through 25ml - V(left in  container) Linear equation $$\frac{3y+22}{10}=x $$

$$V(water absorbed)=25-\int_{0}^{h} pi\times(\frac{3y+22}{10})^2, dx $$

Time vs. change height

Water absorption

Important conclusions

 * With sufficient water, the rate of individual absorption is roughly same for each water bead regardless the number of beads surrounding.


 * In the fixed amount of water, the total rate of absorption is depending on the number of beads immersed in the water.


 * In the fixed amount of time, the more water beads in the container, the fast the water is absorbed due to the increased surface area of water beads contacting with water.

The goal was to crush the beads to a powder because this increased the surface area of the beads. The beads can absorb more liquid faster with a greater surface area. The beads were crushed into a power by being hit with a with a hammer against the counter. A teaspoon of each liquid was taken and the crushed beads were poured on top of it. Then the time was kept to see how long it took for the crushed beads to absorb all the liquid and turn into the expanded form of the beads. The times are shown below for both trials

The milk took the longest time because it has the least amount of water in it and also has some fat in it. The ingredient's list of milk does not have water on it but does have fat in it. Where as the Pepsi, Sprite and Ginger Ale all have carbonated water as their first ingredient.

If a teaspoon of the liquid was used the expanded beads fit into a teaspoon. So this means that they absorbed the whole teaspoon of liquid. A teaspoon of milk was used and the expanded beads only fit into half a teaspoon. So this means that there was some milk that was not absorbed by the beads. The thought is that this portion of the milk was the fat.

This also explains why the beads did not absorb the oil. The oil has a reasonable amount of fat in it and not a lot water. More tests about this need to be done to prove that the beads don't absorb oil but that is the conclusion that has been drawn from all the is data so far.

The crushed beads in the Pepsi, Milk and Ginger Ale took in some of the color of the surrounding liquid. Since the crushed beads have more surface area then the original beads they were able to absorb more liquid faster. The next step would be to see if this concept holds true if the crushed beads are put in a larger amount of the liquid.

The times between the two trials were similar.

Trial 1

Trail 2

Design
The absorption part of the diaper was designed in CAD Inventor. The most suitable material for the absorption part contains nonwoven cloth, water beads powder, and paper towel.

Making water beads powder
In order to fully absorb the urine of a baby, making massive water beads powder is necessary for the prototype. During the process of making powder, many water beads are wasted.

1. Randomly choosing 300 water beads.

2. Soaking these water beads for 2 hours.

3. Using any blunt tool, such as the bottom of the cup, to force water beads to go through sieve for three times.

4. Placing the wet water beads powder in the microwave oven for 5 to 7 minutes.

Creating prototype
1. Cutting a rectangular piece of nonwoven cloth from the shopping bag

2. Placing the paper towel on the nonwoven cloth

3. Placing the water beads powder on the paper towel

4. Dropping two drops of blue ink in two 25 ml water

5. Spilling the blue water on the water beads powder

Operation and Demonstration
Video Demo of the hight rate of absorption of water beads powder (It takes about 15 to 20 seconds for water beads to fully absorb 3ml water!)

Demonstration of the rate of absorption and non-woven cloth

Design of the mini mop head:
By stapling 5 pieces of paper towel that contains water beads powder, the real mop head can be stimulated.

Implement
1. Cutting 5 pieces of paper towel (3cm*10cm)

2. Tearing open the double-layer paper towel (splitting a piece to pieces)

3. Placing water beads powder between two layers

4. Using a glue stick to seal the paper towel (creating paper towel "pouches")

Operation and Demonstration
1. Measuring 25 ml water with measuring cylinder

2. Pouring water on the mini mop

3. Repeating step 1 until the mop stopping absorbing

Next Steps

 * Brainstorm expansions on Project 0 tasks
 * Determine the most cost effective material and housing for applications of water beads (kitchen mop, baby diaper, etc.)
 * Construct a prototype for applications of the water beads (kitchen mop, baby diaper, etc.)
 * Construct a prototype for the mop hing
 * Finding the way that can quickly recycle water beads powder