On the 5 February, a group of 15 Science students in the Lower Sixth went on a trip to the Johnson Matthey Technology Centre in Sonning Common. Upon arrival, the students were given a talk about Johnson Matthey as a global corporation and their various worldwide branches, technology specialities and goals as a company.
The students were then split into two groups and took turns visiting two research laboratories. In one a metallurgist discussed current Lithium ion batteries, future developments in this area, and the role of the company in introducing new battery technology to the car industry.
In the other lab the talk was with research scientists who specialised in making resealable bags for fresh produce, which aim to limit the amount of gas the produce respires and slow down the process of rotting, with an overall goal of reducing food waste. The boys also carried out practical work on investigating which material is the best for spreading ethylene evenly.
After this, the boys congregated and did a large practical exercise in teams involving making a simple photoelectric cell (solar panel) with titanium dioxide and blackberry juice as the main components. The winning team was the one which recorded the largest average amount of light converted to electricity.
While this was a fun exercise, through the large variations in results it demonstrated the challenge that researchers face to achieve consistency when scaling up technology from the bench scale to manufacturing.
The day ended by having an inspiring talk from an information analyst at the facility, who talked to the students about a career in science and there are roles other than working in a laboratory. The boys managed to learn about the many roles in a large facility, and opportunities for the future in terms of careers and the way the industry is shifting.
Thanks must be given to Dr Chapman and Mrs Mehta for organising the trip and making the visit to such a diverse facility possible.
Written by Nirvan (L6C2)
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