Polyhedral Model Kit

Preface

The breathtaking speed with which science and engineering are advancing reflects our increasing sophistication in understanding how the structures of solids influence their physical and chemical properties. These structures have taken on enhanced significance with the many recent exciting advances in materials and nanoscale science and engineering. From an educational perspective, the three-dimensional extended structures that are characteristic of many of these solids are particularly challenging to visualize.

This Polyhedral Model Kit was developed to complement the ICE Solid-State Model Kit, which, since 1994, has allowed teachers and students to investigate the three-dimensional structures of solids that comprise the world around us. Using spheres, rods, and templates, the ICE Solid-State Model Kit permits construction of solids whose atomic arrangements are guided by sphere packing. Many of these same solids can be represented in a powerful, alternative way by linked polyhedra. This new kit also allows one to build less symmetric structures not possible using sphere packing. The ability to shift between these different viewing perspectives is an important pedagogical objective, as it can produce new insights into structure-property relationships. The Polyhedral Model Kit provides the means to investigate these important spatial relationships.

There are many opportunities for integrating the Polyhedral Model Kit into the curriculum. It can be used to build many structures that would commonly be discussed in science and engineering courses such as chemistry, chemical engineering, geology, environmental science, materials science, soil science, and physics.

This kit owes its conception and original implementation to the eminent solid-state chemist, A. F. Wells. Nearly fifty years ago, Wells convincingly demonstrated the power of polyhedral models to create simple and complex structures. The authors are grateful to Drs. M. Stanley Whittingham of Binghamton University and Terrell A. Vanderah of the National Institute of Standards and Technology for bringing the kit to their attention and to Dr. Wells’ family for permission to re-release the kit. Advances in polymer science and computer-aided design and manufacturing have resulted in this enhanced version of the kit.

The Polyhedral Model Kit serves as part of the educational infrastructure for an effort, supported by the National Science Foundation and the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, to integrate materials and nanoscale science and engineering into the curriculum. The guidance and advice of Retlaw Industries has been invaluable in manufacturing this educational product. Ryan Nygard designed the cover art for the kit.

While many individuals contributed to the realization of this Kit, including Phillip Barak, Mithra Beikmohamadi, Cindy Carter, Olivia Castellini, Tony Cina, Keenan Dungey, Andrew Greenberg, Janice Hall, Robert Lichter, Ken Lux, John Moore, Don Neu, Jim Rougvie, Matt Vander Zanden, Jen Walz, and Greta Zenner, it is our pleasure to acknowledge especially the many teachers and students around the country who auditioned the Kit and whose comments have greatly enhanced its effectiveness.

We hope that you enjoy and learn from the Kit, and we welcome your comments and suggestions.