Chemistry Commons^™

In Situ Confocal Raman Microscopy Of Redox Polymer Films On Bulk Electrode Supports, Jiahe Xu, Miharu Koh, Shelley D. Minteer, Carol Korzeniewski

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

A Spectro electrochemical cell is described that enables confocal Raman microscopy studies of electrode-supported films. the confocal probe volume (∼1 μm3) was treated as a fixed-volume reservoir for the observation of potential-induced changes in chemical composition at microscopic locations within an ∼20 μm thickness layer of a redox polymer cast onto a 3 mm diameter carbon disk electrode. using a Raman system with high collection efficiency and wavelength reproducibility, spectral subtraction achieved excellent rejection of background interferences, opening opportunities for measuring within micrometer-scale thickness redox films on widely available, low-cost, and conventional carbon disk electrodes. the cell performance and spectral …

New Guidelines For Presenting Electrochemical Data In All Acs Journals, Shelley Minteer, Jingguang Chen, Song Lin, Cathleen Crudden, Stefanie Dehnen, Prashant V. Kamat, Marisa Kozlowski, Géraldine Masson, Scott J. Miller

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of Complex Low-Density Polyethylene Chemistry Into Rigorous Computational Fluid Dynamics Model, Elijah Yoder

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Applied

School Of Arts And Sciences, Alexandre Volkov

Annual Faculty Research Symposium

Multielectron Redox Reactions at the Plasma/Water Interphase

Study Of Protein Extraction Techniques For M. Foliorum Phages, Lola Sibaud, Anna Elgersma

Student Academic Conference

Characterizing phages is becoming increasingly important in biochemistry and biotechnology due to their potential to treat bacterial infections without need for antibiotics. Last year, students attempted to isolate proteins from Microbacterium foliorum infecting phages Babydotz and Rosadiaz. Proteins were successfully extracted; however, after further analysis it was shown that the obtained proteins belonged to the host bacteria and not the phages. The purpose of this study was to find a method to separate phage from host bacterial debris to successfully isolate phage proteins and analyze them later. Isolating phage proteins could help us characterize more phages and know more about …

Activation Of Nrf2 Pathway By Natural Products, Genesis Schat, Madelyn Sedlachek

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Novel Tandem Reaction To Synthesize 2-Formalphenylboronic Acids, Sarah Bingham, Chinelo Emmanuela Nnadozie, Destiny Latia Keishara Braynen

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Column Chromatography Of An Oxepine Synthesized From Meldrum's Acid, Destiny Latia Keishara Braynen

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Inhibiting Nitroso Related Methylation Of Guanine Using Dietary Supplements And Flavonoids, Elijah Gocotano, Hannah Klose

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Detection Of Pfoa Using Molecularly Imprinted Polymers, Luke Allen, Joseph Redding, Joshua Kim, Micah Lewis

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Presumptive Color Testing Of Aspirin Using The Marquis Reagent, Lynza Osorio

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Synthesis Of Mn(Co)3[1,2-Csh3(Co-(C4h3s))2] And X-Ray Crystallography Of Re(Co)3[1,2-Csh3(Co-(C4h3s))2 ], Wilmar Janusz, Abbye Morgan, Chloe Vernon

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

Time Dependent Selective Esterification Of Free Fatty Acids For Algae Biofuel Testing, Margaret Tyler, Megan Mccoy

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Basic

New Alkyd Resins From Underutilized Indigenous Seed Oils: Synthesis And Characterization, Aliru O. Mustapha, Hakeem B. Ayoku, Halimah A. Amao

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The underutilization of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), sweet almond (Prunus amygdalus), and jatropha (Jatropha curcas) seeds indicates a significant resource waste. Nine different varieties of 25% (short), 40% (medium), and 60% (long) alkyd resins were produced from the cross-section of drying, semi-drying, and non-drying oils. A large amount of conversion occurred, with the extent of the reaction (Pav) decreasing as time progressed and the corresponding increase in alkyds' average degree of polymerization (Dp) showing synthesized alkyds. Surface drying from the set-to-dry and dry-through periods climaxed at 2 hours for all the alkyds. Except for alkali, synthesized alkyd resins demonstrated outstanding …

Science Club, Danielle Gibson, Krista Andersen

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

Honors After School program for elementary age children to engage with scientific principles. Students performed hands-on experiments to explore various STEM fields. Each weekly lesson consisted of a different concept to be learned or explored by early elementary aged students.

Candy Heart Experiment, Admin Stem For Success

STEM for Success Showcase

Students practice the scientific process by running an experiment to discover how well candy hearts dissolve in different liquids.

Kinetic Analysis Of Glu115ala Cytosolic Human Malate Dehydrogenase Mutation Shows A Change In Activity On Non-Native Substrate Phenylpyruvate, Kailey Paar

Chemistry & Biochemistry Student Scholarship

The cytosolic human enzyme, malate dehydrogenase (MDH1), is believed to have a significant effect on the proliferation of cancerous cells. This enzyme oxidizes NADH to NAD+ as it converts oxaloacetate (OAA) to malate. This oxidation of NADH provides the needed NAD+ to cancer cells, which require NAD+ as they upregulate glycolysis in aerobic conditions. Targeting MDH1 can reveal new therapeutic treatments for cancer by preventing the conversion of OAA to malate and depleting NAD+ stores in cancer cells, which can be done by mutating residues in the enzyme and assessing the change in activity. Here we show the replacement of …

Magnetic Slime, Admin Stem For Success

STEM for Success Showcase

Students learn chemistry and physics by making magnetic slime.

Invisible Ink, Admin Stem For Success

STEM for Success Showcase

Students create invisible ink to hide and reveal a message using chemistry.

Sugar Water Density Activity, Admin Stem For Success

STEM for Success Showcase

In this activity students learn about density using sugar water. Attached is the activity's lesson plan and a teacher reflection on the activity.

Multi-Technique Structural Analysis Of Zinc Carboxylates (Soaps), Molly Wagner, Roberta Pigliapochi, Valeria Di Tullio, Jaclyn Catalano, Nicholas Zumbulyadis, Silvia A. Centeno, Xiaoling Wang, Kuizhi Chen, Ivan Hung, Zhehong Gan, Michael R. Dworzak, Glenn P.A. Yap, Cecil Dybowski

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

A series of medium- and long-chain zinc carboxylates (zinc octanoate, zinc nonanoate, zinc decanoate, zinc undecanoate, zinc dodecanoate, zinc pivalate, zinc stearate, zinc palmitate, zinc oleate, and zinc azelate) was analyzed by ultra-high-field ⁶⁷Zn NMR spectroscopy up to 35.2 T, as well as ¹³C NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. We also report the single-crystal X-ray diffraction structures of zinc nonanoate, zinc decanoate, and zinc oleate—the first long-chain carboxylate single-crystals to be reported for zinc. The NMR and X-ray diffraction data suggest that the carboxylates exist in three distinct geometric groups, based on structural and spectroscopic parameters. The ssNMR results …

Conformational Comparison Of Urea And Thiourea Near The Ccsd(T) Complete Basis Set Limit, Kayleigh R. Barlow, Gregory S. Tschumper

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

The global minima of urea and thiourea were characterized along with other low-lying stationary points. Each structure was optimized with the CCSD(T) method, and triple-ζ correlation consistent basis sets followed by harmonic vibrational frequency computations. Relative energies evaluated near the complete basis set limit with both canonical and explicitly correlated CCSD(T) techniques reveal several subtle but important details about both systems. These computations resolve a discrepancy by demonstrating that the electronic energy of the C2v second-order saddle point of urea lies at least 1.5 kcal mol−1 above the C2 global minimum regardless of whether the structures were optimized with MP2, …

Azomethine-Containing Moieties For Simple And Degradable Conjugated Polymers, Kimberley Bartlett

Master of Science in Chemical Sciences Theses

Conjugated polymers have been studied for various applications such as electrochromics, organic photovoltaics, organic light-emitting diodes, thin film transistors, biosensors, and energy storage materials. They have received significant attention from many researchers because they are relatively inexpensive and possess a high degree of synthetic tailorability that enables tuning of optical, electrochemical, and physical properties. However, many state-of-the-art polymers require synthetic protocols that use multiple arduous synthetic steps, harmful chemical reagents, and produce toxic byproducts. Additionally, the synthesized polymers are not typically designed to be degradable and will accumulate during waste disposal without end-of-life management strategies. Therefore, there is a need …

Selective Preservation Of Structural Carbohydrates During Peat Formation, Lauren Bryan, Rachel Shaw, Madison Smith, Erik Schoonover, Trevor Hile, Christian Lundy, Alexis Koehl, Grace Behrens, Madeleine O'Donnell, Mackenzie Dole

22nd Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2023)

The structural carbohydrate "sphagnan" has been hypothesized to play a role in slowing the degradation of Sphagnum moss, and therefore contribute to carbon sequestration in peatlands. Sphagnan is composed of a galacturonic acid and rhamnose backbone. However, it is currently unclear whether sphagnan persists beyond early-litter degradation and plays a role in the long-term preservation of organic matter in peatlands. In this study, we analyzed hydrolyzable neutral sugars, using rhamnose as a proxy for sphagnan content, and tracked the concentration of rhamnose present within moss before and after a 270-day period of decomposition, as well as the concentration of rhamnose …

Physical And Chemical Changes Lesson Plan, Admin Stem For Success

STEM for Success Showcase

Lesson plan and video for an activity on the difference between physical and chemical changes.

The Science Of Baking Bread, Admin Stem For Success

STEM for Success Showcase

Activity plan to teach biology and chemistry using a lesson on the baking of bread.

Plastic Photochemistry: Determining How Weathering Impacts Phototransformation Rates, Anna Fabiszak

Student Research Symposium

It is a scientific certainty that plastics do exist and will continue to exist in the environment for many years, but exactly how long? Photochemistry can be a major degradation pathway of plastics. Many studies have been performed using microbial activity, heat, and light. However, the question of which wavelengths have the greatest effect on the plastic phototranformation remains. This question was answered by irradiating weathered and pristine plastics under monochromatic LEDs lights from wavelengths 275-445 nm, and measuring the amount of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC).

Silicon In Renewable Power Generation And Storage: Decarbonizing The Grid And Automobile Transport, Kurt W. Kolasinski

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Professor Kurt Kolasinski, Chemistry - Silicon in renewable power generation and storage: Decarbonizing the grid and automobile transport.

Epitaxial Single-Domain Cu-Btc Metal-Organic Framework Thin Films And Foils By Electrochemical Conversion Of Cuprous Oxide, Xiaoting Zhang, Bin Luo, Avishek Banik, John Z. Tubbesing, Jay A. Switzer

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) Are an Important Class of Crystalline Porous Materials with Extensive Chemical and Structural Merits. However, the Fabrication of MOF Thin Films Oriented Along All Crystallographic Axes to Achieve Well-Aligned Nanopores and Nanochannels with Uniform Apertures Remains a Challenge. Here, We Achieved Highly Crystalline Single-Domain MOF Thin Films with the [111] Out-Of-Plane Orientation by Electrochemical Conversion of Cuprous Oxide. Copper(II)-Benzene-1,3,5-Tricarboxylate, Cu₃(BTC)₂ (Referred to as Cu-BTC), is a Well-Known Metal-Organic Open Framework Material with a Cubic Crystal System. Epitaxial Cu-BTC(111) Thin Films Were Manufactured by Electrochemical Oxidation of Cu₂O(111) Films Electrodeposited on Single-Crystal Au(111). …

Beer We Go! A Study Of Carbonated And Nitrogenated Beers, Sadie Atkins, Holly S. Gibson

Undergraduate Research Conference

A flavorful crisp beer is a popular, worldwide beverage. Beer can be either carbonated or nitrogenated, each giving a different sensory outcome. Carbonated beer, such as Budweiser, has a crispy and light texture, whereas nitrogenated beer, such as Guinness, has a creamy, smooth mouthfeel. A comparison study of these two different beer types was done using a Packaged Beverage Analyzer (PBA). The PBA is used to analyze the density, CO CO2, O 2, N 2, and alcohol content of various beverages, such as beer, sparkling water, and soda. The parameters assigned to the carbonated beer were container type and temperature …