The project involves purchase of a voltamograph, differential scanning calorimeter, and a thermogravimetric analyzer. The equipment will be used to update theexperiments in five courses ranging from sophomore level tosenior level and will be used by students for their senior projects. Electrochemical methods will be used to determine thermodynamic parameters such as equilibrium constants and cell potentials; to quantitatively determine the presence of trace amounts of heavy metals, pharmaceutical, and inorganics; to analyze the effect of ligands on the oxidation/reduction potential of a central metal ion; and to study the kinetics of electrochemical reactions to elucidate reaction mechanisms. Thermal methods will be used to study properties of materials including dehydration characteristics, glass transition temperatures, thermal stabilities, heat capacities, enthalpy changes, melting points, and solid phase transitions.
