To celebrate Indiana University's bicentennial, 3D printing was used to create a set of crystal models commonly made of wood and used extensively in 19th-century chemistry and geology classrooms. While wooden crystal models exist, they have fallen out of favor for many reasons, including the widespread availability of highly detailed 3D models in textbooks and the high cost. The use of 3D printing allows for these models to be made inexpensively and on-demand for specific topics. Additionally, more complex structures that would usually be prohibitively expensive were created for particular applications. Combined with existing 3D printed education tools (unit cells and molecular models), these models were used to teach a joint lesson on crystal structures and the history of models in the chemistry classroom.

Recreating crystal model kits from the 19th century using 3D printing

ACS Spring 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.