Journal of Chemical Education最新文献

This study presents an innovative practice of transforming a cutting-edge research project in the field of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) glass vitrification disposal into a comprehensive experimental teaching program for undergraduate and graduate students. Based on the CDIO (Conceive–Design–Implement–Operate) engineering education model, the research aims to drive interdisciplinary knowledge integration and core competency development through authentic and complex engineering projects. The experimental design comprises two core modules: (1) process optimization and small-scale equipment development for remelting, casting, and annealing of nonstandard simulated HL glass residues and (2) long-term chemical stability evaluation of simulated HLW glass vitrified forms. Through a complete CDIO project cycle, students were deeply involved in the entire process, from equipment design and manufacturing, process optimization, and sample characterization to leaching mechanism analysis. Practice has demonstrated that this experimental system not only effectively trains students’ ability to solve complex engineering problems but also significantly enhances their systems thinking, innovative design capabilities, and value shaping. This study provides a replicable example of leveraging advanced research to inform teaching and offers empirical evidence of integrating technical challenges with educational objectives in engineering education.

This article reports on a co-teaching model implemented in general chemistry laboratories and in general and organic chemistry discussion sessions. In the laboratory context, undergraduate teaching assistants (UTAs) were paired with graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). Their dialogues during laboratory sessions were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed to characterize the nature of their interactions. The results indicate that UTA–GTA exchanges were limited, largely due to the laboratory structure, which prioritized responding to student questions. Nevertheless, the transcripts revealed that both instructors felt comfortable posing questions to one another and suggesting strategies to improve laboratory instruction. In the discussion sessions, UTAs were paired either with other UTAs or with GTAs, and one anonymous written reflection was collected at the end of the semester to evaluate the model’s efficacy. Taken together, the findings highlight the strengths and potential of co-teaching partnerships while also identifying challenges that should be considered when adopting similar models.

Preparing AI-generated interview transcripts for analysis often requires substantial postprocessing before they are suitable for qualitative research. Common tasks include reformatting poorly structured text, removing extraneous labels such as timestamps and speaker tags, and correcting transcription errors that can obscure meaning. These tasks are not only time-consuming but also introduce inconsistencies across transcripts if performed manually, creating a barrier for researchers who wish to move efficiently from data collection to analysis. In this technology report, we present and compare two automated solutions (one written in Python and one in R) that streamline this preparation process for Zoom-generated transcripts. Both codes are designed to detect and eliminate extraneous information, standardize transcript formatting, and ensure text readability, ultimately reducing the need for labor-intensive manual editing. By automating these steps, the codes improve efficiency, support consistency across datasets, and make it easier for researchers to focus on interpretive and analytic aspects of qualitative work. We believe that this contribution will have broad utility for qualitative researchers across disciplines, particularly in fields where large volumes of interview data are collected and timely analysis is critical. We argue that the automation of transcript preparation represents an important step toward lowering technical barriers in qualitative research, improving transparency and reproducibility, and expanding the accessibility of computational tools to scholars who may not have advanced programming expertise.

General chemistry courses can feel abstract and disconnected for students who do not major in chemistry. To address this challenge, we developed and incorporated a series of socioculturally contextualized in-class worksheets in a large-enrollment general chemistry course at a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Each worksheet embedded core chemistry concepts such as measurements, thermodynamics, and gas laws within real-world cultural and community-based contexts, including traditional medicine, Indigenous architecture, and environmental remediation. The goal was to increase the contextual engagement and understanding of chemistry among a diverse student population. A postcourse survey (N = 106) revealed that the majority of students found the worksheets helpful and reported that they supported their understanding of course material. Qualitative analysis of open-ended responses identified key themes: understanding, contextual connection, and engagement and also provided areas for improvement. Performance data indicated that students who participated in the in-class worksheets received higher grades in the final exam compared with those who did not, and this trend is observed for several exam items that are aligned with the worksheet outcomes. These results suggest that sociocultural context-based instructional tools can enhance engagement in introductory chemistry courses, offering a practical and scalable approach to inclusive pedagogy in large lecture courses.

Electrochemistry plays an increasingly important role in emerging technologies and research across organic, inorganic, physical, and analytical chemistry. However, most undergraduate laboratory courses provide limited hands-on training in electrochemical techniques. Here we describe an electrochemistry laboratory exercise designed for upper-level undergraduate students. In this laboratory, students use cyclic voltammetry to extract reduction potentials, rate constants, and equilibrium constants relevant to the reduction and coupled ligand loss of a cobalt coordination complex, [Co(Cp)(dppe)(CH₃CN)]²⁺ (Cp = cyclopentadienyl; dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane). Comparing voltammograms recorded at a range of scan rates in CH₃CN and CH₂Cl₂ enables students to deduce that reduction of [Co(Cp)(dppe)(CH₃CN)]²⁺ proceeds through an “ECE” mechanism in which CH₃CN ligand loss occurs between two one-electron reduction steps. Attitudinal survey data indicate that this laboratory exercise appreciably improves student confidence in conducting electrochemical experiments and analyzing electrochemical data, preparing students to utilize cyclic voltammetry as an essential analytical and mechanistic tool in chemical research.

Nanozyme, a class of nanomaterials with enzyme-like properties, is a new concept that has appeared in the textbook of enzyme engineering. Due to the tunable catalytic activities, low cost and robustness to harsh environments, oxidase-like nanozymes have exhibited various applications in sensing and imaging fields. At the undergraduate level, it is of great importance to introduce these concepts (nanozyme, oxidase-like nanozyme and catalytic kinetics) and applications (constructing a visual sensor) to chemistry curricula. Herein, a simple, rapid, and safe method is introduced to synthesize Cu-Adenine nanozyme through Cu²⁺ coordinating with adenine in water at 70 °C for 20 min. With 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DP) as a substrate and 4-aminoantipyrine (4-AP) as a chromogenic agent, Cu-Adenine nanozyme catalyzes the oxidation of 2,4-DP to oxidized 2,4-DP and further couples with 4-AP, exhibiting an absorption peak at 505 nm. The intensity of the absorption peak is dependent on the O₂ concentration, demonstrating that Cu-Adenine is an oxidase-like nanozyme. After investigating the catalytic kinetics, a visual sensor based on Cu-Adenine nanozyme is designed for correctly detecting 2,4-DP in seawater, river water and sewage. As a comprehensive experiment for third-year undergraduate student at Beijing Normal University, the experiment provides students with a perspective for understanding oxidase-like nanozyme, catalytic kinetics, and successfully construct a visual sensor to detect environmental pollutant (2,4-DP is also a kind of pollutant). Importantly, this experiment spans from coordinate chemistry and synthetic chemistry to biological chemistry, physical chemistry, environmental chemistry and analytical chemistry, creating a concise interdisciplinary laboratory experience.

In the advancement of quantum materials research, consistent follow-up content in science education becomes paramount. In this article, we report how the synthesis and characterization of the high-temperature superconductor, yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO), can effectively address this concern. Our exploration encompasses the comparison between pristine YBCO samples and La-, Ce-, and Fe-doped variants to examine the emergence and suppression of superconductivity. Magnetic levitation experiments under liquid nitrogen conditions revealed the presence of the flux pinning effect in La- and Ce-doped samples, whereas it was absent in Fe-doped samples, consistent with temperature-dependent resistance measurements. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that La atoms successfully substituted for the Y site, while Ce atoms remain incompatible with the YBCO phase under our synthesis conditions. In contrast, when Fe atoms replace the Cu site, they suppress the superconductivity and transform the crystal structure from orthorhombic to tetragonal. We suggest that our study not only provides insights into the physical properties of YBCO through introducing various dopants but also serves as a benchmark for educators developing analogous or extended experiments.

In 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Journal of Chemical Education published a study by Vargas-Oviedo, Morantes, and Diaz-Báez on a home experiment involving the degradation of starch by salivary amylase, using iodine to indicate starch presence. We replicated their experiment, reducing the total volume from 20 to 5 mL and added heated saliva as a negative control. This was to account for potential interference from crude enzymatic sources in the iodine-based methodology. Undergraduate chemistry students conducted the activity at home, and some noticed discrepancies between expected and observed results. These discrepancies, specifically the apparent hydrolysis of starch by heat-denatured saliva, may be related to the interaction of iodine with salivary proteins. This indicates that proteins can compete with starch for iodine binding, potentially leading to misleading results. Given the common use of this experiment in chemistry and biochemistry courses, we stress the importance of including appropriate controls, such as heat-denatured saliva, to avoid false detection of starch hydrolysis in cases with limited iodine concentration.

NaY material belongs to the iconic family of zeolites with a Faujasite structure. These microporous aluminosilicate materials possess exceptional properties, making them essential in various applications, e.g., catalysis, gas sorption/separation, and ion exchange. In particular, NaY zeolite is a good model material for teaching fundamental concepts in crystallography, surface chemistry, and adsorption phenomena and a stimulating literature review topic for students. NaY zeolite can be easily synthesized by students at the laboratory scale. Its preparation and characterization offer valuable learning opportunities by linking theoretical knowledge with practical applications in Materials Science and/or Chemical Engineering courses. In this work, we propose a very simple but highly reproducible synthesis method for obtaining a highly crystalline NaY material. This flexible approach enables undergraduate students to investigate the influence of both the crystallization time and temperature on the outcome of NaY synthesis. By combining standard characterization techniques like powder X-ray diffraction, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, students acquire hands-on experience in Materials characterization, learn about the complementarity and limitations of the different characterization methods, and strengthen their knowledge in Inorganic Chemistry, Materials Science, and Analytical Chemistry.