Periodic Table: Foams of the future

Floppy, firm, squishy or smooshable — foams come in many forms and have countless uses in our daily lives, from stuffing packages to making shoes more comfortable. But the current generation of foams have problems like flammability and toxicity. That’s why Los Alamos National Laboratory materials scientists are working to find ways to create new high-performance foam materials that can be made reliably and affordably, while minimizing related health hazards.

Join materials research scientist Jason Benkoski for a look at potential foams of the future at this month’s Periodic Table program. The Periodic Table is the Bradbury Science Museum’s casual, ask-me-anything program held at projectY cowork. Gather with other science enthusiasts and talk with a special guest Labbie about their unique work. The Periodic Table is always free.

Read more about Benkoski’s team and their “foam improvements” in this recent 1663 article.

About the speaker: Jason Benkoski is a materials research scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory. His research exploits molecular structure-property relationships to design functional materials, synthesize them, model their physics and employ them in transformational systems. He received his undergraduate degree from Lehigh University and holds a doctorate in materials science from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Monday, Mar. 11
5:30-7 p.m.
projectY cowork
150 Central Park Square
Los Alamos, NM