MRI: Acquisition of Electrochemical Instrumentation to Enhance Research Training and Teaching at the University of San Francisco

在重大研究仪器(MRI)计划的支持下，旧金山大学的Lawrence Margerum和他的同事将获得电化学仪器，以加强研究培训和教学。该设备包括一个非常灵敏的恒电位器/恒电流计，一个用于交流阻抗测量的频率响应检测器，以及用于微电极的现代软件。将利用这一仪器的研究项目包括：a)与潜在的大分子催化剂(树枝状大分子)结合的小分子的伏安研究；b)潜在的生物无机催化剂的氧化还原性质的表征；c)通过快速扫描技术测量非均相电子转移速率；以及d)鲨鱼电感官中发现的生物凝胶的表征。这些设备将用于该大学化学系和环境科学系的高级本科课程，以及与当地高中教师和学生合作的社区抽样计划的推广计划。这些研究将在许多领域产生影响，包括为制造业和聚合物化学开发更有效的催化剂。

With support from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, Lawrence Margerum and colleagues at the University of San Francisco will acquire electrochemical instrumentation to enhance research training and teaching. The equipment includes a very sensitive potentiostat/galvanostat, a frequence response detector for AC impedance measurements and modern software to be used with microelectrodes. Research projects that will exploit this instrumentation include a) voltammetric studies of small molecule binding to potential macromolecular catalysts (dendrimers); b) characterization of the redox properties of potential bioinorganic catalysts; c) measurements of heterogeneous electron transfer rates via rapid scanning techniques; and d) characterization of the biological gels found in the electrosensory organs of sharks. This equipment will be used in advanced undergraduate courses in the Chemistry and Environmental Science departments at the university, and in an outreach program for a community-based sampling program in collaboration with teachers and students at local high schools. These studies will have an impact in a number of areas including development of more efficient catalysts for the manufacturing industry and polymer chemistry.