UrbanBeeLab

User Tools

Site Tools

Trace:
chitin

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
Next revision		Previous revision
chitin [2016/08/05 11:57] – [THE CHITIN PROJECT] amichitin [2016/08/13 15:53] (current) – [2. background research] ami
Line 1: Line 1:
-=====THE CHITIN PROJECT=====+=====THE CHITIN EXPERIMENT=====
 =====0. abstract===== =====0. abstract=====
 Bee colonies are threatened in all industrialized nations. Given that the survival of bees is crucial for human sustainability, there is a great urgency to improve by all means the ways in which colonies could thrive. Bee colonies are threatened in all industrialized nations. Given that the survival of bees is crucial for human sustainability, there is a great urgency to improve by all means the ways in which colonies could thrive.
Line 9: Line 9:
 //scale model of the Guerilla Beehive// //scale model of the Guerilla Beehive//
  
-=====1. ask one question=====+=====1. the question=====
 Can we print a beehive with chitin forthcoming from the bees exosceleton? Can we print a beehive with chitin forthcoming from the bees exosceleton?
  
-=====2. do background research=====+=====2. background research=====
 **What is Chitin?** **What is Chitin?**
 Chitin is a naturally renewable source, non-toxic, non-allergenic, anti-microbial and biodegradable. Chitin is a naturally renewable source, non-toxic, non-allergenic, anti-microbial and biodegradable.
-It is found in the exosceleton of arthropods, the invertebrates animals amongst which the insects and the species Apis mellifera (honeybees). +It is found in the exosceleton of arthropods, the invertebrates animals amongst which the insects and the species Apis mellifera (Principles of Insect Physiology - docu: pdf in bees-folder).
-Principles of Insect Physiology (pdf in bees-folder)+
  
 **Chemistry of Chitin?** **Chemistry of Chitin?**
-Chitin (C8H13O5N)n is a long-chain polymer of an N-acetylglucosamine, a derivative of glucose, and is found in many places throughout the natural world. It is a characteristic component of the cell walls of fungi, the exoskeletons of arthropods such as crustaceans (e.g., crabs, lobsters and shrimps) and insects, the radulae of molluscs, and the beaks and internal shells of cephalopods, including squid and octopuses. The structure of chitin is comparable to the polysaccharide cellulose, forming crystalline nanofibrils or whiskers. In terms of function, it may be compared to the protein keratin. +Chitin (C8H13O5N)n is a long-chain polymer of an N-acetylglucosamine, a derivative of glucose, and is found in many places throughout the natural world. It is a characteristic component of the cell walls of fungi, the exoskeletons of arthropods such as crustaceans (e.g., crabs, lobsters and shrimps) and insects, the radulae of molluscs, and the beaks and internal shells of cephalopods, including squid and octopuses. The structure of chitin is comparable to the polysaccharide cellulose, forming crystalline nanofibrils or whiskers. In terms of function, it may be compared to the protein keratin. Chitin has proved versatile for several medicinal, industrial and biotechnological purposes.
 [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitin|wikipedia-Chitin]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitin|wikipedia-Chitin]]
 +[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitosan|wikipedia - Chitosan]]
  
 Chitin is a polysaccharide , a type of carbohydrate that has a basic structure of a repeating chain of sugar molecules. Chitin is analogous in structure to cellulose, the compound that provides structural support to plant tissues. Chitin is a polysaccharide , a type of carbohydrate that has a basic structure of a repeating chain of sugar molecules. Chitin is analogous in structure to cellulose, the compound that provides structural support to plant tissues.
Line 41: Line 41:
 {{:chitin:water-based_robotic_fabrication.pdf|Water-based robotic fabrication: large scale additive manufacturing}} {{:chitin:water-based_robotic_fabrication.pdf|Water-based robotic fabrication: large scale additive manufacturing}}
 [[http://wyss.harvard.edu/viewpressrelease/144/manufacturing-a-solution-to-planetclogging-plastics-|chitin 3D printing]] [[http://wyss.harvard.edu/viewpressrelease/144/manufacturing-a-solution-to-planetclogging-plastics-|chitin 3D printing]]
 +[[https://spark.autodesk.com/BiofriendlyAMpt3|additive manufacturing with o.a. Chitosan]]
 +[[https://jbioleng.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13036-015-0001-4|computer aided tissue engineering]]: recent 3D bioprinting techniques
 +[[http://matter.media.mit.edu/tools/details/mechanic-biomaterials-deposition#prettyPhoto|mechanic biomaterials deposition]]
 +[[http://matter.media.mit.edu/environments/details/water-based-digital-fabrication-platform|MIT - mediated matter]]
  
  
  
-=====3. construct an hypothesis=====+=====3. hypothesis=====
 Will the bee colony tolerate Chitin as a constructing material or will they destroy it (= eat it)? Will the bee colony tolerate Chitin as a constructing material or will they destroy it (= eat it)?
-=====4. design the experiment=====+=====4. the experiment=====
   * Make a selection of bio materials to work with: Paper, Kombucha skin, Bioplastic, Chitin. All of these bio materials have different constituents and the goal is to see which materials are nibbled on by the bees, and which materials they don't touch and thus are solid enough for construction.   * Make a selection of bio materials to work with: Paper, Kombucha skin, Bioplastic, Chitin. All of these bio materials have different constituents and the goal is to see which materials are nibbled on by the bees, and which materials they don't touch and thus are solid enough for construction.
   * Design a small, identical object and produce it in all of the selected materials. The size of the object should respect the thickness of the wall of a bee shelter, and a surface big enough to be able to check the behaviour of the bee colony over a timespan of 3 weeks minimum. Ideal would be a cube of 100mm x 100mm x 20mm.   * Design a small, identical object and produce it in all of the selected materials. The size of the object should respect the thickness of the wall of a bee shelter, and a surface big enough to be able to check the behaviour of the bee colony over a timespan of 3 weeks minimum. Ideal would be a cube of 100mm x 100mm x 20mm.
Line 59: Line 63:
  
  
-=====5.analyze your data=====+=====5. analysis of the data=====
  
-=====6.reach a conclusion=====+=====6. conclusion=====
  
  
chitin.1470398279.txt.gz · Last modified: 2016/08/05 11:57 by ami