tina cornely

The attributes of graphene and its electric and thermal conductivity have always fascinated me. Graphene simply put, is a single one atom thick layer of graphite. And graphite is what is used to make pencil lead. Essentially graphite is made up of hundreds of thousands of layers of graphene. What differentiates the structural make up of the two is how they are made.


 I thought it would be interesting to compare graphite (which is mixed with clay during the firing process) against a low grade oxygen reduction fired piece of charcoal.


 I also wanted to test the chemical reactions of these two materials when mixed with other substances like rain water.


 This is a sample of low oxygen reduction processed charcoal.


 <a alt="20160215_143129.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13127/20160215_143129.jpg">
 <img alt="20160215_143129" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-13135 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13135" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"SM-N900T","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1455546688","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.13","iso":"320","shutter_speed":"0.066666666666667","title":"","orientation":"6"}' data-image-title="20160215_143129" data-recalc-dims="1" height="169" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13127/20160215_143129.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 This is a sample of low oxygen reduction processed charcoal mixed with rain water.


 <a alt="20160215_144101.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13127/20160215_144101.jpg">
 <img alt="20160215_144101" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-13131 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13131" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"SM-N900T","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1455547261","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.13","iso":"1000","shutter_speed":"0.066666666666667","title":"","orientation":"6"}' data-image-title="20160215_144101" data-recalc-dims="1" height="169" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13127/20160215_144101.jpg" width="300"/>
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 This is a sample of graphite scraped off of a lead pencil.


 <a alt="20160215_144326.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13127/20160215_144326.jpg">
 <img alt="20160215_144326" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-13132 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13132" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"SM-N900T","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1455547406","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.13","iso":"1000","shutter_speed":"0.066666666666667","title":"","orientation":"6"}' data-image-title="20160215_144326" data-recalc-dims="1" height="169" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13127/20160215_144326.jpg" width="300"/>
 </a>


 This is a sample of graphite mixed with rain water.


 <a alt="20160215_144856.jpg" class="gcloudimg" href="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13127/20160215_144856.jpg">
 <img alt="20160215_144856" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-13133 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13133" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"SM-N900T","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1455547736","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.13","iso":"320","shutter_speed":"0.066666666666667","title":"","orientation":"6"}' data-image-title="20160215_144856" data-recalc-dims="1" height="169" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13127/20160215_144856.jpg" width="300"/>
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 What first strikes me when comparing these images is the chemical reaction between both substances when mixed with rain water. If you look closely at the images mixed with rain water you can see the bright image of a bird looking symbol which is not detected in the other images. It is almost like it comes alive.


 My next experiment will be to test these materials with other substances like tap water (which surely contains chlorine and fluoride) and vinegar. And last but not least, I want to connect a tiny anode and cathode so I can see what kind of reaction I can record with a Foldscope!

The Relational Imagery of Graphite &amp; Graphene

Super excited about my upcoming trip to Honduras where I will be visiting various remote schools and teaching students about the many benefits and uses of the foldscope!


 The Honduran government has declared a state of emergency because  of the rampant spike in Zika cases.  This foldscope project is not only timely but important because it will help the locals conduct vector control and be able to identify the different types of mosquito larvae.


 During my trip I will also be giving a talk on the radio about how to stay safe from contracting Zika and the importance of creating youth groups to help raise awareness about simple safety precautions including canvassing for containers where mosquitoes can propagate.


 The CDC and the World Health Organization recently announced that Zika is linked to Microcephaly therefore teaching family planning with
 <a href="https://www.cyclebeads.com/" target="_blank">
 cycle bead necklaces
 </a>
 will also be an important component of this project.


 I hope by demonstrating the many benefits of the foldscope and vital data sharing with WhatsApp we can help other countries be better prepared to mitigate the fight against Zika and other vector borne illnesses.


 Stay tuned for more updates!

Foldscope: Facilitating Zika Research &amp; Grass Root Data Sharing In Honduras

With 4785 cases of Zika and counting, the government of Honduras recently declared a state of emergency.


 El Salvador warned its citizens to hold off on their family planning for at least two years so doctors and scientists can come up with a cure.


 The clock is ticking. The rainy season in Honduras is just about to begin and will last until November.


 Foldscope and technology like
 <a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/" target="_blank">
 WhatsApp
 </a>
 present a unique opportunity in the fight and mitigation against Zika.


 I arrived at the Instituto Rubén Barahona Oviedo on a Tuesday after a long ride from the capital, Tegucigalpa. This small school serves over 200 students and is located in a tiny village called  San José del Potrero in Comayagua.  A 32 year old institution with a small team of dedicated teachers who are doing their best to educate  the youth of this small farming community.


 The students are eager to learn, hard working and do their best to raise money so their school can try to cover their basic needs. For the last 9 years they have been toiling over raising money to build bathrooms. Bake sales, casual dress days and raffles have contributed but the project completion is still far off.


 You can only imagine how estatic they were to receive the foldscopes.

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-15433" class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_15433" style="width: 388px">
 <img alt="Students from the Instituto Ruben Barahona Oviedo in San Jose del Potrero" class="wp-image-15433 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="15433" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"SM-N900T","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1461596499","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.13","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="20160425_150140" data-recalc-dims="1" height="101" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_15416/20160425_150140.jpg" width="388"/>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-15433">
 Students from the Instituto Ruben Barahona Oviedo in San Jose del Potrero
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 Through a series of empowerment lectures I covered topics like how to stay protected during mosquito season, the importance of canvassing areas for containers where mosquitos can breed and how to manage family planning with
 <a href="https://www.cyclebeads.com/" target="_blank">
 cycle beads
 </a>
 . The latter is a long standing taboo in Latin America and the Caribbean.  Throughout my humanitarian travels, I have found the cycle bead necklace facilitates the conversation.


 Frequent power outages and low bandwidth presented difficult challenges for this project. Cell phones and
 <a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/" target="_blank">
 Whatsapp
 </a>
 ‘s chat and broadcast features kept us connected and on track.


 Wednesday after a torrential downpour, the students and I canvassed the area around the school for larva samples. Zika larva are distinguisable by a breathing tube that is located near its tail. Coincidentally the Aedes mosquito causes Zika, Denghue and Chickengunya.


 <img alt="aedes mosquito larvae" class="size-medium wp-image-14984 aligncenter gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="14984" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="aedes mosquito larvae" data-recalc-dims="1" height="159" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_15416/aedis-mosquito-larvae.jpg" width="300"/>


 We found a crate of soda bottles near the football field and were able to secure some samples.

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-15417" class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_15417" style="width: 300px">
 <img alt="Soda bottle crate " class="size-medium wp-image-15417 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="15417" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"SM-N900T","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1461245171","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.13","iso":"50","shutter_speed":"0.0060606060606061","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="20160421_132612" data-recalc-dims="1" height="169" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_15416/20160421_132612.jpg" width="300"/>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-15417">
 Soda bottle crate
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 We did not find mosquito larvae in our samples but we were able to secure mold from the bottom of one of the bottles.

<figure aria-describedby="caption-attachment-15422" class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_15422" style="width: 300px">
 <img alt="Alternaria " class="size-medium wp-image-15422 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="15422" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"SM-N900T","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1461256256","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.13","iso":"50","shutter_speed":"0.00073099415204678","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="20160421_163056" data-recalc-dims="1" height="169" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_15416/20160421_163056.jpg" width="300"/>
 <figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-15422">
 Alternaria
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 The students’ reactions to the specimen samples were priceless.


 Our next step is to get teachers Wendy Mariel Abel and Omar Abener Sandoval blogging about their students’ foldscope experiences. Power outages and lack of internet bandwidth will make it challenging. Our Plan B is to have the images sent to me via WhatsApp and for me to upload them to the Microcosmos blog from the US.


 Stay tuned for future progress reports!

tina cornely

Earth

Posts

The Relational Imagery of Graphite & Graphene

Foldscope: Facilitating Zika Research & Grass Root Data Sharing In Honduras

Foldscope Part II: Facilitating Zika Research & Grass Root Data Sharing In Honduras

Locations

Statistics

Type of Sample

Foldscope Lens Magnification