Powered by Chemistry. Driven by Engineering.
We are an SDELC Design Team that designs a small car that is powered by a chemical reaction that produces electricity and is stopped by a timed reaction that can be modified by a limiting reactant. The goal of the car is to stop at a given distance (15-30m) that is randomly generated at the competition.
The Missouri S&T Chem E Car Design Team is a multidisciplinary undergraduate design team consisting of two competing teams and one research team. Chem E Car offers students a great opportunity for experiential learning in many areas. Each competition team builds a chemically powered, shoebox-sized car to participate in a regional competition. The research team develops, researches, and designs possible stopping and power mechanisms for future cars. All teams expose students to the process of developing concepts, designs, and completing a project.
While mainly ChemE and Chemistry majors do the chemistry in the car, all majors are welcome!
There is an electrical system that EE/CompEs work with and a chassis that requires MechEs to do. Our organization currently consists of two car teams and a research team. Car teams work on designing and building the cars, as well as testing and fine-tuning their chosen reactions. Some of our team refines old reactions, but others look into new and unique ones. The research team members experiment with new reactions to possibly be used in the future, which allows the various car teams to narrow their focus.
Initially, new members typically join one of the three sub-teams of Chem E Car. At the beginning of each semester, new members are introduced to the lab and are properly trained by older members. Throughout the semester, there are both internal and external socials that allow new members to bond with all members of the team. The Chem E Car team is a close-knit group and is very welcoming!
Members of Chem E Car have the opportunity to work as a team of engineers designing and building a chemically powered car that will compete in the competition. Through the design and testing of the car, members will get to experience what it is like working on a project and meeting deadlines. Additionally, members work in a laboratory environment so they have the opportunity to gain valuable lab experience. The skills that the members of Chem E Car gain are highly valuable and often sought after by employers.
Unlike most design teams, the car does not compete in a race, but rather a test of precision. The car uses controlled chemical reactions to move and stop at a specified distance. The winning car is the one that stops the closest to the mark using chemistry alone. Last year, our team finished second place nationally at the AIChE Student Conference in Orlando!
We would love to hear from you! If you have any questions about our team, team expectations, or how to join, please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.org.