11 My work: STEAM Sneaker Art Activity – Hydrophobicity
| STEAM Lesson Topic | Learning objectives |
| Hydrophobicity: Hydrophobicity of Fabrics used in Sneakers |
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Lesson 1: Hydrophobicity Name of Activity: Hydrophobicity of Fabrics used in Sneakers Outcome: Students will learn about the basic principles of hydrophobicity and its connection to materials used in sneakers. Students will then compare both hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials using water. Additionally, students will create their own custom sneaker art swatch to incorporate into their STEAM sneaker artwork. Big picture: Hydrophobicity is used and applied throughout the sneaker industry, different materials and their hydrophobic effects can determine the longevity and performance of a sneaker. For example, canvas sneakers, which are primarily made up of cotton (hydrophilic material) easily absorb water and should not be worn in certain weather conditions. The hydrophobicity of materials must be considered when designing, painting, and water-proofing sneakers. |
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Directions: Part 1 – Conversation– Introduce what hydrophobicity is and how it applies to the materials used in sneakers. Discuss how hydrophobic textiles are commonly used for the outer and inner soles of sneakers and why. Highlight cotton, which is a hydrophilic material, and Vinyl/Polyurethane which is a hydrophobic material. Part 2 – Activity- Students will test samples of the different materials and determine which is hydrophobic vs. hydrophilic. Students will also test a variety of textiles from the “Sustainable textiles” activity. Students will then take what they learned about hydrophobic materials and custom design their own sneaker fabric “swatch” using temporary tattoos and water. How does this work? Temporary tattoos have multiple layers of hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials. The 2 most important in this case are the silicone paper (the slimy part that the tattoo is printed on) and the back paper (this is the part that has the directions printed). Silicone polymers, in this case, are neutral (very hydrophobic normally) when water is exposed to the back paper it gets absorbed into the silicone layer. Once this silicone layer gets wet, it releases the polymer ink which attracts to the hydrophobic surface of the opposing material, in this case, is vinyl. Note, it can also be our skin which is very hydrophobic externally. |
| Performance Objectives
(What will students KNOW and be able to Do because of chemistry Know: Understand the general concept of hydrophobicity, Distinguish a hydrophobic vs. a hydrophilic material using water Do: Create their own mini-sneaker swatch using hydrophobic materials |
