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Take out of the box:
protective goggles 2 pairs
tray 1 pc
nitinol wire + clip 1 pc each
tweezers 1 pc
beaker 1 pc
Prepare at home:
boiling water 250 ml
FIRST AID INFORMATION
In case of contact with the eye(s): wash out the affected eye with plenty of water, holding the eye open if necessary. Seek immediate medical advice.
If swallowed: wash out the mouth with water, drink some fresh water. Do not induce vomiting. Seek immediate medical advice.
In case of inhalation: remove person to fresh air.
In case of skin contact and burns: wash the affected area with plenty of water for at least 10 minutes.
If in doubt, seek medical advice without delay. Take the chemical and its container with you.
In case of injury always seek medical advice.
ADVICE FOR SUPERVISING ADULT
Each SmartBee kit is intended for conducting experiments for children over 8 years of age. Because children’s abilities vary so much, even within age groups, supervising adults should exercise discretion as to which experiments are suitable and safe for their children.
Read and follow these instructions, the safety rules and the first aid information, and keep them for reference.
Be sure to thoroughly discuss the warnings and safety information with your child or children before commencing the experiments. Follow them and keep them for reference. Remember: misuse of chemicals can lead to injury or cause serious harm to health.
Carry out only those experiments that are listed in the instructions, using the equipment provided in the kit.
The area surrounding the experiment should be kept clear of any obstructions and away from the storage of food. It should be well lit and ventilated and close to a water supply.
A solid table with a heat resistant top is recommended for carrying out the experiments.
SAFETY REGULATIONS
Read these instructions before use, follow them, and keep them for reference.
Keep young children, animals and those not wearing eye protection away from the experimental area.
Always wear eye protection.
Store this experimental set out of reach of children under 8 years old.
Clean all equipment after use.
Make sure that all containers are fully closed and properly stored after use.
Ensure that all empty containers are disposed of properly.
Wash hands after carrying out experiments.
Do not store foodstuffs in any container which has held a reagent. Dispose of such containers immediately after use.
Do not use any equipment which has not been supplied with the set or recommended in the instructions for use.
Do not eat or drink in the experimental area.
Do not allow chemicals to come into contact with the eyes or mouth.
Put on the safety goggles.
Bend the wire any way you like.
Put the glass beaker on the tray.
Boil 250 ml of water and pour it into the beaker.
- Attention! Hot water!
- This step is done by an adult.
Grasp the wire with the tweezers and slowly immerse it in the water.
Watch as the nitinol returns to its straight shape.
- Attention! High water temperature causes nitinol to react violently. The wire might jump out of the beaker!
This metal acts as if it’s not from this planet! Although some people believe that Nitinol is a product of an alien civilization, it was actually developed by military and spy agencies.
Where did it get its name from? This special nickel-titanium alloy was invented in the Naval Ordnance Laboratory. When you combine the first letters of the alloy’s name with the name of the institution, you get the name Nitinol.
In 1963 in a US Navy research laboratory, the phenomenon of nitinol’s shape memory was observed for the first time. Until recently, it was a military secret because it was used in Stealth spy planes to silently move the wing flaps.
Take the nitinol out of the water with the tweezers. Wait till it cools down.
Wrap the wire around the tweezers in a spiral.
Grasp the resulting spring with your tweezers and slowly immerse it in the water.
Watch what happens. If nothing happens, the water is probably too cold. Heat the water and do the experiment again.
Nitinol has two more superpowers. First, it’s biocompatible, therefore our body doesn’t reject it.
The second superpower is super-elasticity.
This fantastic alloy is useful in medicine for bonding broken bones and straightening teeth. As small mesh tubes called stents, it is inserted into veins and arteries where they are too narrow. These flexible stents dilate blood vessels so that blood can flow better through. Science really improves our lives!
Fold the nitinol in half and twist the ends together.
Grasp the bend with the tweezers and slowly immerse the wire in water.
Watch what happens. To make nitinol return to its original shape, you can heat it in any way you like. You can try it in the oven, with a hairdryer, or on the stove.
Straighten the paper clip and slowly immerse it in water.
Do you already know what's going to happen?
What does science have to say about this?
Usually we have to use force to bend something. Nitinol, however, has a unique ability: it remembers its previous shape!
This effect is called shape memory. We can bend the material in any form, but after heating it will return to its original shape without any additional force. That’s a superpower!
This can be done over and over again – the nitinol transformation is completely reversible.
Therefore, even simple thermal motors can be built with it.
Clean the workstation and wash the accessories.
Where to dispose of the substances? Save the Nitinol for another day or put it in a plastic and metal recycling bin. Pour the water down the sink.