My name is Joseph Montonati, and I’ll be spending the next 6 weeks helping Dr. Baldelli and a number of students in their research into physical chemistry at the University of Houston. I’m working specifically with a graduate student named Sarah, who’s researching the properties of metal surfaces. She uses a mixture of spectroscopy, a method of studying materials by reflecting lasers off of them, and microscopy, which uses precise microscopes to examine the metals she’s testing. Metals are made up of many microscopic crystals, and Sarah studies how different sized or shaped crystals react.
A close look at the microscopic structure of copper, one of the metals we’re testing.
Because our tests revolve around the surface of the metals we’re testing, polishing our specimens is crucial. That’s where I come in! The polishing procedure they are currently using is alright, but not as precise as they need it to be, so I’m going to be running tests on some new polishing methods they have prepared. But before I can get to try out the new stuff, I have to master the current method and get a feel for how our sample should be prepared. This week I was taught and practiced the current polishing procedure, which involves setting a small piece of copper into a resin cylinder so i have something to hold on to as I polish. Then, first using fine sandpaper and then a special ultra-fine diamond paste, I polish the sample to a beautiful mirror finish. At least that’s the idea, I haven’t finished a piece just yet. I’ve made a lot of progress, thanks to the help of Dr. Baldelli, Sarah, and the other students in the lab.
I got to make a tool on this lathe in order to use the polishing wheel.
This first week wasn’t only lab work though, I started the week with a few days to get to know the other people staying here. I’m here with a group of eight other kids from a separate internship program called the Welch program, all from Texas schools, as well as Maddison from Montrose through the Pinhead Institute. They’re all great and friendly, and we’ve quickly formed a close group, along with our RA, Lara. There’s a lot to do around campus when we’re not in the labs, we’ve gone bowling several times and we try and eat together as often as possible. Before labwork began on Wednesday, we got to visit the Texas Center for Superconductivity, which has always been a dream of mine. They do cutting edge work with superconductors, their tech is enabling incredible things like the fusion experiments on the east coast, and it was wonderful to see it in person.
The group at the bowling alley
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