Discovering Inexpensive, Effective Catalysts for Solar Energy Conversion: An Authentic Research Laboratory Experience

Abstract

Electrochemical water oxidation is a major focus of solar energy conversion efforts. A new laboratory experiment has been developed that utilizes real-time, hands-on research to discover catalysts for solar energy conversion. The HARPOON, or Heterogeneous Anodes Rapidly Perused for Oxygen Overpotential Neutralization, experiment allows an array of mixed-metal oxide compositions to be analyzed in parallel to test their activity as water oxidation catalysts. Students create unique combinations of mixed-metal oxide materials, which are then analyzed utilizing a simple, inexpensive system that detects the amount of oxygen evolved during electrolysis. This experiment has the flexibility to be implemented at a variety of educational levels with the depth and breadth of the material covered accordingly. Concepts such as stoichiometry, materials, solutions, and fluorescence can be emphasized, while the research-like experience strengthens students’ independence, critical-thinking skills, and excitement for science. An online questionnaire was developed to measure various effects of the experiment on students, including learning gains, attitudes toward chemistry, and motivation to pursue a career in scientific research. The assessment results indicate positive gains for students in their understanding of the social nature of scientific work, scientific literacy, and interest in pursuing additional research opportunities.

Engineering Disorder into Heterogenite‐Like Cobalt Oxides by Phosphate Doping: Implications for the Design of Water‐Oxidation Catalysts

“…Transition‐metal oxides have shown excellent potential as cheap and efficient water‐oxidation catalysts, particularly manganese, nickel and cobalt oxides . However, the exact relationship between structure and function has not been determined …”

Investigating introductory astronomy students’ perceived impacts from participation in course-based undergraduate research experiences

“…For example, some studies denote research experiences as "authentic" if they imitate scientific research practices [23,24], contexts [25,26], activities [27,28], skepticism [29], or collaborations with scientists (such as internships or independent study, i.e., UREs) [14,15]. Others deem authentic research experiences to be necessarily open ended or seeking answers to questions that are currently unknown [9,12]. Still others suggest that authenticity is an emergent property of the productive interactions between students, teachers, and scientists, something that may only be aspired toward because of the inherent continuous change of science practice and understanding [30,31].…”

“…The benefits of students' participation in CUREs and QCUREs include learning from mistakes [34], increasing confidence and competence at science process, [10,34,35], improving science writing [11], improving understanding of content knowledge [17,22,36], increasing interest in scientific careers [11,12], and improving critical thinking skills [35]. Further, positive affectual responses have also been found, such as enjoyment in project participation [37] and the cooperative, collaborative nature of the projects [12,17,37].…”

“…Such cognitions are important in learning how scientific knowledge is ascertained. Further, for those students who later teach science, participation in research may also lead to a greater likelihood of using methods of inquiry in their teaching [11], which has been shown to increase students' engagement in learning science [12]. Additionally, when students participate in research contexts, they encounter the technologies used by scientists, enabling a sense of these technologies' contextual embeddedness, limitations, and means toward increasing efficiency in scientists' work [13].…”

“…The call for a greater number of research experiences in secondary and post-secondary science instruction has been engaged across the scientific disciplines, including biology [9][10][11], chemistry [12,13], environmental science [16,17], geoscience [18,19], and physics [20][21][22]. In this paper, we introduce and study course-based undergraduate research experiences for both science majors and nonmajors enrolled in introductory astronomy courses.…”