Inorganic Chemistry of Organ Pipes: Composition and Corrosion

Submitted by Catherine Oertel / Oberlin College on Thu, 09/30/2010 - 14:46
Description

This presentation provides an inorganic chemist's perspective on metals used to make organ pipes and their corrosion and conservation.  The slides highlight my own research in this area as well as work being done by other scientists around the world.  The purpose of this learning object is to show students an application of inorganic chemistry that they probably have not encountered before and show an example of how analytical methods of materials chemistry can be used in conservation science.   

Cyclic voltammetry

Submitted by Chip Nataro / Lafayette College on Wed, 09/29/2010 - 07:28
Description

This is a short presentation on cyclic voltammetry. It is covers the basics and some simple electrode mechanisms. There is room for improvement (especially in my art) and suggestions are welcome.

First Isolation of the AsP3 Molecule

Submitted by Anne Bentley / Lewis & Clark College on Fri, 09/03/2010 - 13:47
Description

Early in 2009, Christopher Cummins’ group at MIT reported (in Science) the synthesis of AsP3, a compound that had never been isolated at room temperature.  Later that year, a full article was published in JACS comparing the properties and reactivity of AsP3 to those of its molecular cousins, P4 and As4.  The longer article is full of possibilities for discussion in inorganic chemistry courses, with topics including periodic trends, NMR, vibrational spectroscopy, electrochemistry, molecular orbital theory, and coordination chemistry.

Towards "Personalized Solar Energy": An Inexpensive Oxygen-Evolving Catalyst

Submitted by Anne Bentley / Lewis & Clark College on Fri, 08/27/2010 - 15:54
Description

In the two years since this article was published, it has jump-started a large amount of research in the area of cobalt-based catalysts for solar water splitting.  The paper describes the electrochemical synthesis and oxygen-evolution capabilities of a Co-phosphate catalyst under very mild conditions.  The paper can stimulate discussion of many topics found in the inorganic curriculum, including electrochemistry, semiconductor chemistry, transition metal ion complex kinetic trends, and solid state and electrochemical characterization techniques.

Biological Inorganic Chemistry: Structure & Reactivity edited by Bertini, Gray, Stiefel, and Valentine

Submitted by Betsy Jamieson / Smith College on Tue, 07/20/2010 - 13:10
Description

Biological Inorganic Chemistry:  Structure & Reactivity edited by Bertini, Gray, Stiefel, and Valentine was published by University Science Books (copyright 2007). It is a detailed text divided into 2 parts.  Part A gives "Overviews of Biological Inorganic Chemistry" while Part B goes into more specifics of "Metal Ion Containing Biological Systems."  Several prominent bioinorganic chemists have contributed chapters to the book in their various areas of expertise.  

Formal NSF Styled Proposal Writing in Preparation for Original Multi-Week Laboratory Projects

Submitted by Lon Porter / Wabash College on Sat, 07/17/2010 - 13:23
Description

The advanced inorganic chemistry course is completed by all chemistry majors at Wabash College during the fall of their senior year. The capstone character of the course provides an excellent opportunity for utilizing an investigator model of laboratory learning. Student teams are responsible for the preparation of a formal, National Science Foundation (NSF) styled proposal stating the goals, context, experimental timetable, safety considerations, and budget for the execution of an original laboratory project.

Kinetics of Ligand Substitution Reactions of a Pt(II) Complex

Submitted by Scott Cummings / Dominican University on Sat, 07/17/2010 - 11:47
Description
This inorganic lab experiment, focusing on the kinetics of ligand-substitution reactions of a square-planar Pt(II) complex, involves collecting UV-vis absorption data and analyzing the results to determine a rate law to support one of three proposed mechanisms.

Element Jeopardy!

Submitted by Keith Walters / Northern Kentucky University on Thu, 07/15/2010 - 11:44
Description

Like many inorganic faculty (especially those faced with trying to teach "all" of inorganic chemistry in a one-term junior/senior course), I have found it increasingly difficult over the years to include any significant descriptive chemistry content in my course. Moreover, I have a constant interest in trying to convey some of the "story behind the story" in chemistry, which in this area centers on the discovery of the elements. I was mulling this over at an ACS meeting one time and happened to be in an inorganic teaching session where Josh van Houten (St.

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