MRI: Acquisition of Electrochemical Instrumentation to Enhance Research Training and Teaching at the University of San Francisco

University Of San Francisco, San Francisco CA

Investigators

Abstract

With support from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, Lawrence Margerum and colleagues at the University of San Francisco will acquire electrochemical instrumentation to enhance research training and teaching. The equipment includes a very sensitive potentiostat/galvanostat, a frequence response detector for AC impedance measurements and modern software to be used with microelectrodes. Research projects that will exploit this instrumentation include a) voltammetric studies of small molecule binding to potential macromolecular catalysts (dendrimers); b) characterization of the redox properties of potential bioinorganic catalysts; c) measurements of heterogeneous electron transfer rates via rapid scanning techniques; and d) characterization of the biological gels found in the electrosensory organs of sharks. This equipment will be used in advanced undergraduate courses in the Chemistry and Environmental Science departments at the university, and in an outreach program for a community-based sampling program in collaboration with teachers and students at local high schools. These studies will have an impact in a number of areas including development of more efficient catalysts for the manufacturing industry and polymer chemistry.