Binary Colloidal Alloy Test (BCAT-5), Four Investigations
Research Area: Complex Fluids
Expedition(s): 19-22, 25-ongoing
Principal Investigator(s): ● Arjun Yodh, PhD, University of Pennsylvania, University Park,
Pennsylvania
● Barbara Frisken, PhD, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby,
British Columbia
● David A. Weitz, PhD, Harvard University, Cambridge,
Massachusetts
● Matthew Lynch, PhD, Procter and Gamble, Cincinnati, Ohio
● Paul M. Chaikin, PhD, New York University, New York, New
York
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Binary Colloidal Allot Test-5 (BCAT-5) is a suite of 4 investigations that
will photograph randomized colloidal samples aboard the
International Space Station (ISS) to determine their resulting structure
over time. Scientists will be able to capture the kinetics (evolution) of
their samples, as well as the final equilibrium state of each sample.
EARTH BENEFITS
BCAT-5 takes advantage of the microgravity environment on the ISS to
prevent the colloidal particles in these samples from encountering
sedimentation, convection, and gravitational jamming. These samples
will provide important data that is not available on Earth; data that
can guide our understanding of phase separation (eg, shelf-life,
product collapse), and how it competes with crystallization to impact
production (eg, when making plastics).
SPACE BENEFITS
BCAT-5 will ultimately impact our understanding of the strength and
thermal conductivity of materials by providing insight into the effects
of size variation in dense suspensions of particles. For example, the careful selection of
crystallization promoters for controlling the crystallite size and size distribution may lead to
improvement in materials fabrication processes.
RESULTS
Data analysis of the samples are ongoing, and results are pending publication.
This investigation is ongoing and additional results are pending publication.
ISS025-E-008239 (Oct. 19,
2010) – NASA astronaut
Shannon Walker, Expedition
25 flight engineer, uses a
digital still camera to
photograph Binary Colloidal
Alloy Test-5 experiment
samples in the Kibo
Laboratory of the
International Space Station.