In Situ Infrared Spectroscopy of NO_x Reduction Catalysts: A Laboratory Exercise for In-Person and Virtual Learning

Abstract

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy and catalysis represent two of the most practically relevant topics in chemistry, but they are normally taught in separate contexts at the undergraduate level. Although IR spectroscopy is introduced to students as a tool for organic compound characterization, it also finds wide applicability in the investigation of catalytic reactions. Here we present a laboratory exercise that binds the concepts of IR spectroscopy and catalysis together in the study of nitrogen oxide abatement by selective catalytic reductiona reaction that is of industrial relevance and environmental importance. We originally designed the practical course for in-person instruction, but we adapted it into a virtual learning experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our analysis revealed that there was no significant difference between the performance of the in-person and virtual participants, suggesting that the online offering of the course could be a viable alternative to face-to-face instruction in case of extraordinary circumstances.

A Raspberry Pi Pico Based Low-Cost, Research-Grade, Open-Source Thermal Conductivity Cell Detector for Chemical Laboratory Analysis

“…The development of heterogeneous catalysts is critical to the chemical industry, with approximately 80% of industrial processes involving solid heterogeneous catalysts, which is an important part of the curriculum for students in chemistry. − In the progress of catalyst development, it is very important to characterize the physical and chemical properties of the catalysts, which enables researchers to gain a better understanding of the underlying enhancement mechanisms and serves as a guide for further optimization. Here we build a “do-it-yourself” (DIY) thermal conductivity cell detector (TCD) assembly integrated with a Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller for the characterization of the reduction properties of commercial Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 catalysts by using readily available hardware.…”

Spectroscopic Methods for Pollution Analysis─Course Development and Delivery Using the Integrated Course Design Framework

“…13 This article is licensed under CC-BY 4 Recent attempts to bridge the gap have been primarily through lab experiment/activity proposals. These include infrared (IR) spectroscopy for plastic waste analysis 14 and NOx reduction catalysis 15 and fluorescence fingerprinting of pollution sources in surface water. 16 These reports build on similar articles sporadically published in the past, which include using differential optical absorption spectrometry to measure atmospheric pollutants 17 and inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-methods to study metal deposition in environmental samples.…”

Computational Investigation of Isotopic Labeling: A Pandemic Inspired Activity

“…Others look to utilize computational chemistry to help predict regioselectivity or molecular interactions . A few others effectively use computational chemistry in tandem with wet laboratory experiments in organic chemistry. ,, Computational chemistry is currently being used to guide the real-world synthesis of useful pharmaceuticals , and because of this has been an increasingly vital part of the synthetic chemical industry. Wet chemistry is also used to help fine-tune first principle molecular interactions in computational investigations particularly in modeling host–guest binding systems in different solvents.…”