The American Chemical Society mandates that all chemistry students take a course in physical chemistry.  Yet the majority of chemistry students do not become physical chemists and many physical chemistry texts have limited coverage of current research in physical chemistry.  To address this, we sought to develop laboratory materials using modular and economical spectroscopic equipment with the goal building appreciation for the connection between fundamental spectroscopy theory while highlighting the interdisciplinary applications of physical chemistry.  Laboratory materials are coupled with a guided paper discussion of a recent literature paper highlighting current research applications. We present a quantum mechanics investigation focusing on synthesis and characterization of quantum dots (adapted from Journal of Chemical Education, 2005, 82, 1697-1699), and a thermodynamic investigation rotamer distribution of substituted ethanes using Raman spectroscopy (adapted from Journal of Chemical Education  2005, 82, 912-915).Quantum dots are semi-conducting nanocrystals whose fluorescent properties vary according to size.  They have a variety of applications in fields ranging from biomedical imaging to solar energy.  Our quantum dots lab, using fluorescence spectroscopy, provides a demonstration of the size-dependence of the particle-in-a-box model of quantum mechanics.  The applications of quantum dots are contextualized by a guided reading of a recent paper on analytical applications of quantum dots.  Our Raman spectroscopy lab demonstrates the Boltzmann distribution of rotamers of dihaloethanes across a range of temperatures and is combined with a discussion about a recent paper on the �gauche effect�.The laboratory investigations developed are highly repeatable and facile: all necessary lab-work can feasibly be completed in a single three hour lab-period, even with multiple lab groups. It is our expectation that these materials will provide an engaging introduction to the ideas and methods of physical chemistry.

Developing interdisciplinary project-based spectroscopy laboratories for physical chemistry

247th National Meeting (2014)

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