In an effort to develop an ACS-approved polymer emphasis as part of the Chemistry Program, the university is creating a polymer chemistry laboratory and incorporating several polymer- related experiments throughout the curriculum. The department is adding to its inventory of instrumentation a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and the accessories necessary to convert one HPLC into a GPC for polymer analysis. The DSC is being used for three experiments in the polymer chemistry laboratory, one experiment in the advanced laboratory for physical chemistry, and one experiment in the second semester organic chemistry laboratory. The GPC is being used in two experiments in the polymer chemistry laboratory, one experiment in the advanced laboratory for physical chemistry, and one experiment in the analytical laboratory. The repeated use of these instrumental methods is designed to maximize students' educational experience.
