We present the use of an oxygen tolerant controlled radical polymerization (photoinduced electron/energy transfer-reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization, PET-RAFT) as a simple method for preparing controlled radical polymers in an undergraduate laboratory. Unlike conventional techniques, PET-RAFT polymerizations require no…

Exciting developments in the field of Green Chemistry spur the continuous innovation of experiments in the teaching laboratory. Beyond learning practical techniques, students can critically assess experiments using relevant metrics to propose further improvements and identify the most important interconnected impacts of these alternative products…

Dendrite growth affects material systems across applications as diverse as lithium batteries, organic light emitting diodes, turbine blades, and biological sensors. Their unique crystal structure and ability to physically see growth make for a unique undergraduate laboratory experience. This experiment uses dendrite growth to explore the physical…

The formation of chemical patterns is in general difficult to control due to the random diffusive motions of the reacting chemical species in solution. In this paper, we present a new method using audible sound to control the formation of chemical patterns obtained in blue bottle experiments. The waves generated on the surface of the solution by…

Electrochemistry represents a powerful sustainable method for chemical synthesis; however, its widespread application is limited due to the lack of exposure and appropriate basic training of synthetic chemists and engineers in electrochemistry and electrochemical engineering. The introduction of diverse laboratory practices to the current…

We investigated a very long chain falling from the pile on the edge of a table to the floor both experimentally and theoretically. In this very simple and novel configuration we showed that the velocity of the chain quickly converges to its asymptotic value, and that the steady-state velocity is proportional to the square root of the height of the…

The measurement of the charge-to-mass ratio, e/m, of the electron is a fundamental part of any study of electricity and magnetism. It is possible to use an apparatus designed to measure e/m for other things, including investigations of electron flow through a near vacuum, measuring a work function, and even exploring some quantum mechanics…

Our first experience of dimension typically comes in the intuitive Euclidean sense: a line is one dimensional, a plane is two dimensional, and a volume is three dimensional. However, following the work of Mandelbrot, systems with a fractional dimension, "fractals," now play an important role in science. The novelty of encountering…

In this paper, a simple method is described for visually demonstrating that the wavelength of light reduces when entering a medium of higher refractive index. When a violet laser (405 nm) is reflected off the surface of a Blu-ray disc (track spacing 320 nm) diffraction cannot occur since the wavelength is greater than the track spacing. However,…

Students determine the iron mass in dietary supplements using four colorimetric assays. These colorimetric assays were selective for Fe[superscript 3+]. It was complexed by thiocyanide, salicylate, gallic acid, and Fe(CN)[subscript 6][superscript 4-], forming blood-red, red, violet, and blue complexes, respectively. The [lambda][subscript max] of…

Applying the idea of green chemistry, we extended an esterification teaching experiment with isoamyl alcohol and acetic acid and reused isoamyl acetate in the transesterification reaction with KOH as the catalyst. As a result, isoamyl alcohol was produced and could be reused for the teaching experiment. The simplified experimental method achieved…

Benzoin, an [alpha]-hydroxy ketone, is stereoselectively reduced by sodium borohydride to yield hydrobenzoin, the stereochemistry of which is determined by acetalization and analysis of the derivative by NMR spectroscopy. This classical experiment has been enhanced by modern spectroscopic and computational analysis to enable students to…

This paper describes the development of a light polarization experimental apparatus for a remote laboratory. The apparatus had been developed by controlling the analyzer rotation using a stepper motor controlled via the Arduino. Device control and data acquisition applications were developed with LabVIEW which provides remote control panel…

An experimental approach to chemistry is a more meaningful way to learn than the use of textbooks alone. Working in the laboratory helps students understand basic concepts through their active engagement. Here, we present a series of inexpensive and environmentally friendly laboratory exercises on acid-base equilibrium. Their difficulty level is…

More than ever, there is an increasing need for digital experimental learning environments in chemistry. The variety of digital learning approaches provided to students range from simple videos showing experiments to highly interactive virtual laboratories. Regardless of which approach is chosen, a digital learning environment should be adapted to…