Making UV Polarizers!

Friday was the day I had a chance to work on the lab the whole day since I didn't have class and the IDL classes were over. Bob Callens brought in donuts for us for putting up with the classes thank you Bob!:) I went to the lab right after our staff meeting and found Tom Smith in his lab. He told Ryan and I to print and read three different types of UV Polarizers based on oriented polyvinyl alcohol. He wanted us to read the experiment part and have a feeling for what they are going to look like and what we will be making. We printed them out and read them. Lunch time arrived. Professor Swartzlander took us out to lunch! Allie suggested the Pita Pit. I was nervous to try it at first since last time I ate a gyroll (hope I spelled it right) was a bad experience. Turns out gyrolls are actually really good and was way better then last time. I definitely recommend this place for lunch:) After lunch we headed back to RIT. Ryan and I searched for Tom Smith. We finally found him. We mixed in polyvinyl alcohol with water and boiled it till the solution was clear and there were no visible crystals. We mixed 5 percent of the polyvinyl alcohol of 200 mL solution. That is 10 grams in 400 degrees F to 450 degrees. After reading the Unites States Patent, we decided that the thickness of the films should range from 38 microns to 56 microns. We ended up with four petri dishes. One had 4.94 mL of solution for 38 microns in thickness. The second had 5.85 mL of solution for 45 micons thickness. The third had 6.63 mL of solution for 51 microns in thickness. The last dish had 7.28 mL in solution for 56 microns in thickness. We covered each dish so it will stay dust free while it drys over the weekend. On Monday we will take the films out of the dishes and try out some dyes!