Research Progress
Week 1:
Day 1: I learned
safety procedures in the chemistry lab, the solvated metal atom dispersion
(SMAD) technique, and how to keep a scientific notebook.
Day 2: I learned how
to set up reflux for an as prepared SMAD product, and how to properly clean the
glassware.
Day 3: I researched
different ligands. I also learned about UV absorption spectroscopy, how to use
Ocean Optics Spectra Suite, and a spectrometer.
Day 4: I learned how
to use the Transmission Electron Microscope to view poydispersed and
monodispered sample of gold nanoparticles, and
analysed data to prepare graphs.
Day 5: Meetings and presentations with NIRT group, Dr. Klabunde’s
team, and REU.
Week
2:
Day
6: I
learned technique for distilling and degassing acetone and how to properly heat
crucible so there will be no oxygen in the crucible.
Day 7: I learned safety when filling liquid nitrogen tank and ran
SMAD reaction for a different concentration.
Day 8: Reflux for as
prepared SMAD product
Day 9: Reflux and worked to compile and analyze data in Origin
Day 10: Meetings. Continued to compile
data and learned about fluorescence of CdSe.
Week
3:
Day
11: New SMAD reaction and continued to compile
data.
Day 12: Since the vacuum was not functioning properly, we
disassembled and cleaned the vacuum line.
Day 13: Ran another SMAD reaction varying the ligant.
Day 14: Refluxed two as prepared SMAD products and worked on
florescence and UV of CdSe.
Day 15: Meetings and presentations with NIRT group, Dr. Klabunde’s
team, and REU.
Week 4:
Day 16: Ran SMAD reaction 1:30 in TBT to
synthesize for others
Explained
the SMAD procedure to high school students that were in summer science program.
Day 17: Showed other REU students the
lab
Refluxed the sample of 1:30 in
TBT
Filled liquid nitrogen tank
Cleaned glassware
Day 18: Ran SMAD reaction for 1:30 in TBT
Collected the UV-VIS for the refluxed sample from the day before
and got good results
Day
19: Refluxed
the second 1:30 sample in TBT and got good results
Interpreted and complied data
Cleaned glassware
Day
20: NIRT
Meeting and presented data
Worked on kinetic graphs
Cleaned glassware
Made aquaregia solution for
cleaning glassware
Week 5:
Day
21: Cleaned
Glassware
Interpreted data
Day
22: Cleaned
Glassware
Chemicals arrived for inverse micelle procedure
Fillled liquid nitrogen tank
Heated crucible for the SMAD
reaction the next morning
Day
23: Ran
SMAD reaction that was water soluble
Prepared copper grids for TEM
appointment the next day
Degasses
solvents for the inverse micelle
(Fourth of July weekend in the Rocky Mountains)
Week 6:
Day
24: Refluxed
the water soluble product
Went to TEM to get pictures of
the 1:60
Cleaned glassware
Day
25: Graphed
the water soluble gold UV-VIS yielding good results
Began Inverse micelle procedure
Day
26: Meetings
and presentations with NIRT group, Dr. Klabunde’s team, and REU.
Week 7:
Day
27: Took
UV-VIS of first micelle sample and were no gold nanoparticles present
Heated crucible for the next
day’s SMAD reaction
Day 28: Refluxed the 1:15 as prepared SMAD product and did not
reflux properly.
Day
29: Decanted
and vacuum dried the micelle samples
Refluxed
the 1:30 micelle sample in toluene to see the UV-VIS sample
Day
30: Refluxed
1:15 and 1:60 and took the UV-VIS and got good results
Day
31: NIRT
meeting and REU group meetings
Week 8:
Day
32: Refluxed
1:15 but there was too much toluene. Consulted Dr. Sorensen about modifying
procedure.
Day
33: Refluxed
1:60 and made another group of Inverse Micelle Samples
Day
34: Refluxed
1:30. Decanted and degassed new samples. Took UV-VIS of 1:60
Day
35: Refluxed
1:8 and took UV-VIS of 1:8
Day
36: Final
presentation for SUROP and attended REU final presentations. Refluxed 1:8. Made
large batch 10 times bigger.
Week 9:
Day 37: Refluxed 1:60. Cleaned glassware. Started UV-VIS of 1:60
and got interesting results when sample cooled and heated.
Day
38: Refluxed
1:30. UV-Vis of 1:30. Prepared copper grids for TEM.
Day 39: TEM
pictures of the inverse micelle
Day 40: REU Final
Presentation