Previous educational articles on microfluidic technology mainly focused on continuous microfluidics, so we set up an undergraduate laboratory experiment to introduce droplet microfluidics to students. Students can understand the concept of microfluidic channels and the principles of droplet microfluidics, prepare polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)…

Electrocatalytic hydrogenation of acetol (IUPAC: 1-hydroxy-2-propanone), a species formed upon thermal liquefaction of biomass, can be achieved using inexpensive objects: filter paper, coins, batteries, salts, and water. This simple example demonstrates that "green" chemical transformations can be achieved with familiar items and helps…

A series of hands-on experiments including the synthesis and application of flexible, conductive silver-nanopaste were designed to gain knowledge of conductive soft nanomaterial and the synthesis and the application of silver nanopaste (Ag nanopaste). The aim of this laboratory experiment is to provide undergraduate/graduate students an…

Interfacial solar vapor generation has recently drawn much attention because of its high solar-to-vapor generation efficiency. Here we introduce the basic experimental procedures and analysis for undergraduates to perform such an experiment to catch up with the cutting-edge research wave. Interfacial solar vapor generation employs an interfacial…

Fast, reliable, well-resolved latent fingerprints can be planted by applying a thin coating of a 50:50 mixture of hand lotion and food-grade protein powder. Fingerprints can be revealed with iodine fuming or ninhydrin staining. This low-cost alternative to commercial latent print pads can be used in a variety of classroom or public settings where…

The polarized optical microscope (POM) is an invaluable tool for characterizing materials such as liquid crystals and other optically anisotropic materials. Despite its frequent use in research settings, students are rarely introduced to its fundamental operation and importance. Curricula are starting to appear for applications of the POM in…

Electrochemical analysis is an important skill to teach in chemistry curricula because it is a critical tool in current high-impact chemical research. Electrochemistry enables researchers to analyze a variety of systems extending from molecules to materials that encompass research themes ranging from clean energy to substrate activation in…

Presents questions and possible answers involving fundamental chemical ideas related to systems within organisms and the environment. (SLH)

Suggests a way of distinguishing between the two classes of chemical reactions of the lanthanide series. (CS)

Reviews the application of orbital symmetry principles to an understanding of the fluxional behavior of certain organometallic compounds, with particular reference to the cyclopolyenylmetal systems. (CS)

Traces the men, experiments, and hypotheses involved in elucidating the nature of molecular motion from the work of Robert Brown in 1827 to Einstein in 1905. (GS)

TECHNIQUES FOR PRODUCING 8MM INSTRUCTIONAL FILMS IN CHEMISTRY ARE PRESENTED. IN PART I A PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHER-PRODUCED FILMS IS DEVELOPED, EMPHASIZING THE VALUE OF THE LOCAL SETTING, AND CUSTOM-MADE CONTENTS. APPLICATIONS SUGGESTED ARE (1) TECHNIQUE INSTRUCTION, (2) FILMED EXPERIMENTS, (3) INSTRUMENT FAMILIARIZATION, (4) LECTURE AIDS, AND (5)…

Gives a numerical example of the steady-state assumption, using three calculations for the free radical decomposition of methane. (MLH)