Research Progress

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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