Engineering a Photocatalytic Delivery System
Algae in snow-fed creek. What can engineers to do design systems to prevent algae?Copyright 2005 Thayne Tuason, CC-BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Algae_in_snowfed_creek_on_Bennett_Mountain,_Idaho.jpg
Materials that absorb light are useful in engineering design, especially if they can be in place of chemicals. In this maker challenge, students are tasked with using a photocatalyst—a material which provide energy through light absorption and makes a substance react—to rid stagnant water sources of organic pollutants such as algae. Student teams engineer an application method for delivering photocatalysts to water surfaces, such as pools, ponds, and other water sources. Students will also consider the use of photocatalysts in a variety of settings and how useful they might be in their own communities.