A chemistry laboratory experiment is described to introduce undergraduate college students to membrane separation technology. This experiment combines a simple nanowire membrane fabrication and visually indicated molecule separation. The membrane is produced via coprecipitation synthesis followed by a filtration assembly process, which can be…

Quinacridone red and violet are visually different colors, an observation confirmed by their visible reflectance spectra and CIE L*a*b* coordinates. However, their IR spectra are extremely similar. Though chemically identical, the two quinacridones are polymorphs. In this experiment, designed for and tested by nonscience majors, the pigments are…

In this paper, an experimental setup composed of a color-mixing device, power supply, and spectrometer is developed. This setup is available for students to do hands-on color mixing with red, green, and blue light in undergraduate labs. LED volt-ampere and spectrum characteristics are investigated. The apparatus was used to perform additive color…

A mixture of salt water and isopropyl alcohol is immiscible, forming two separate liquids with the organic layer on top and aqueous layer on bottom. When universal indicator is added to such a mixture, all of the indicator compounds in the universal indicator preferentially dissolve in the alcohol--except for phenolphthalein at high pH. Mixtures…

Lakes are artists' pigments made from colorants bound to an inert substrate, usually hydrated aluminum oxide. Before the late 19th century, lakes were made from natural pigments extracted from plants and insects, extracted either directly from the dyestuff or indirectly from waste materials generated in the manufacture of dyed textiles. The first…

The yellow-blue color pair has been used in creative artwork such as paintings and designs and in color engineering. Herein we present a method for using the yellow-blue combination in a chemistry lesson dealing with [pi]-conjugated molecules for first-year undergraduate students who are not science majors. The lesson begins with an introduction…

This experiment demonstrates that copper(II) chloride dihydrate (CuCl[subscript 2]·2H[subscript 2]O) in different solvents (acetone, isopropyl alcohol, or water) displays divergent colors and visible-near IR spectra. Both the reactions of these solutions with 2 equiv of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and the direct solid-state reaction of CuCl[subscript…

Students quantified the protein content in beer, milk, powdered milk, and whey protein using the Bradford assay. The assay was carried out using absorbance measured at 595 nm (standard method) and 96-well-plate images (proposed method). They built analytical curves using bovine serum albumin (BSA) and casein and determined that protein type…

There is an increasing need for fundamental electrochemistry concepts to be taught in the undergraduate curriculum, given the broad applicability of electrochemical technologies in addressing a wide range of global issues from critical energy shortages to real-time medical diagnostics. However, many electrochemical concepts are often taught in…

It began in 1869, and today we have 118 elements listed in the Periodic table, thanks to Mendeleev's work. Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen are elements presented in many organic compounds. Some of them can exhibit photophysical and photochemical properties. Herein, we proposed an easy to make an experiment in chemistry classes to connect…

Using polymerizable cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) paints, we prepare circularly polarized freestanding films that enable students to acquire a basic understanding of circular polarization and molecular chirality. The polymerized helical structures of CLC films can exhibit brilliant structural colors by selective reflection of visible light…

The essence of university courses lies in their scientific rigor, while the enjoyment of learning serves as a motivation. In this regard, we have developed a comprehensive experiment project by incorporating dithienylethene-based photochromic units into sensitizers for renewable energy, specifically dye-sensitized solar cells, through organic…

This is an easy and inexpensive laboratory experiment in which undergraduate students at the Bachelor's degree level in Chemistry can measure formation constants of complexes [Ni(en)[subscript n](OH[subscript 2])[subscript 6-2n]][superscript 2]+ (n = 1, 2 or 3; en = ethylenediamine) through an acid-base titration. The background information…

Herein, we describe a simple laboratory experiment to address nanomaterial synthesis, plasmon resonance, and its application to detect Cu[superscript 2+] in ultralow concentrations. The proposed experiment is very visual and appealing for chemistry students, especially the undergraduate-level chemistry major. In this experiment, the aggregation of…

A two to three period analytical chemistry experiment has been developed which allows second year students to explore chemical color tests used to detect adulterated pharmaceuticals. Students prepare several paper analytical devices (PADs) to generate positive and negative controls antibiotics, along with cutting agents such as starch and chalk.…