Assistant Professor of Chemistry Linda H. Doerrer visited Professor Richard G. Compton’s research group in January of 2001 to facilitate the development of new laboratory experiments for courses in Quantitative Analysis and Instrumental Techniques and Physical Chemistry Laboratory.  These classes are central to educating our students in contemporary research problems and problem-solving techniques.  They are required courses for chemistry majors and minors.

Professor Doerrer worked spent approximately one week in Compton Research Group and learned how to perform a sonochemical cyclic voltammetry experiment.  The Barnard Chemistry Department has an electrochemical component in our curriculum, but sonochemistry will be an important new addition.  Ultrasonic energy is used for diagnostic imaging in medicine and SONAR, but it is not well understood by most undergraduate science students.

Sonochemical electrochemistry quantitatively determines the metal ion content in a variety of liquids via anodic stripping voltammetry.  Two different brands of beer and one type of Ribena (a local fruit beverage) were studied in Oxford. Quantitation of copper is particularly interesting for beer because the copper or wood vats used in its production have a measurable affect on the resultant brew. By treating the solution sonochemically before each measurement, the analytical surface is scoured of any interfering residues. Thus, measurements of heterogeneous liquids like commercial beverages are possible.  The Compton group has also measured the metal ion content of horse blood and fish mucous, experiments that could also be performed at Barnard. Analysis of trace metals in environmental water samples (often murky and thus heterogeneous) is also possible, suggesting a potential overlap between the Chemistry and Environmental Science Departments at Barnard.

One complete set of data may be gathered in an afternoon and thus this experiment can be integrated into our advanced lab courses.  Implementation is anticipated for the spring of 2002.  The conversion of this research technique into an undergraduate laboratory will be reported in the Journal of Chemical Education.

During the stay in Oxford, Professor Doerrer’s work on transition-metal containing ionic liquids was discussed and arrangements were made for Marisa Buzzeo (BC ’01) to spend 5 weeks during the summer of 2001 with the Compton research group.  She will measure the cyclic voltammetry of several compounds, both in solution and in the neat ionic liquid form, where possible.  The latter class of compounds is unique as the first ionic liquids that do not contain long aliphatic chains, proposed in the literature to be fundamental to the ionic liquid form.  Completed work will be published in collaboration with Professor Compton and may lead to future exchange of undergraduate students between Barnard College and Oxford University.