Peer Review - How does it work?: A literature discussion with a focus on scientific communication

Submitted by Mike Norris / University of Richmond on Thu, 07/02/2015 - 20:21
Description

This learning object is based on discussion of the literature, but it follows a paper through the peer review process.  Students first read the original submitted draft of a paper to ChemComm that looks at photochemical reduction of methyl viologen using CdSe quantum dots.  There are several important themes relating to solar energy storage and the techniques discussed, UV/vis, SEM, TEM, electrochemistry, and catalysis, can be used for students in inorganic chemistry.

PVEducation.org: A resource for teaching solid-state chemistry and photovoltaics

Submitted by Kate Plass / Franklin & Marshall College on Tue, 06/30/2015 - 13:49
Description

This is a website that teaches students about various aspects of pn-junction photovoltaics, from basics about solar illumination, to solid state chemistry, to PV module design. There are numerous animations demonstrating facets of solid-state chemistry and light absorption. Here I will describe how I have used sections 3.1 Basics and 3.2 Generation in Inorganic Chemistry in the context of a specific laboratory application, but the site could have many more uses.

Copper Oxide Crystal Growth

Submitted by Ellen Steinmiller / University of Dallas on Mon, 06/29/2015 - 14:49
Description

Students in a 2nd year inorganic class read an article describing the effect of additives on the final morphology of copper oxide. (Siegfried, M.J., and Choi, K-S, “Elucidating the Effect of Additives on the Growth and Stability of Cu2O Surfaces via Shape Transformation of Pre-Grown Crystals”J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2006, 128 (32), pp 10356–10357.  dx.doi.org/10.1021/ja063574y).

Introduction to Miller Indices

Submitted by Vanessa / Albion College on Mon, 06/29/2015 - 14:22
Description

Towards the end of the semester, when we were starting to read more of the primary literature, I realized that the Miller Indices were present in most of the papers that I wanted to discuss. However, I couldn't find any good resources in textbooks that would help to explain what these were. I found this online resource through the University of Cambridge that is engaging, interactive and concise.

Materials Project

Submitted by Barbara Reisner / James Madison University on Fri, 06/12/2015 - 16:58
Description

The Materials Project is part of the Materials Genome Initiative that uses high-througput computing to uncover the properties of inorganic materials.

It's possible to search for materials and their properties

It employs high-throughput computation approaches and IT to create a system that can be used to predict properties and construct phase diagrams andPourbaix diagrams.

Web Resources from the 2013 Inorganic Curriculum Survey

Submitted by Barbara Reisner / James Madison University on Wed, 06/10/2015 - 10:49

 

In the 2013 Inorganic Curriculum Survey, respondents were asked about the resources they used when they teach inorganic chemistry. About 20% of respondents selected "other" and provided information about these resources. A number of people mentioned specific websites. This collection consists of the websites submitted in the survey.

Inorganic Chemistry Wikibook

Submitted by Tom Mallouk / Pennsylvania State University on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 09:49
Description

Frustrated by the lack of inorganic textbooks that really fit my materials-oriented first-semester inorganic course, I embarked on a project with my students to create a free online textbook. The students did most of the heavy lifting, and I'm pleased to report that the next class to use the book rather liked it. It is still a work in progress, but I would like to encourage everyone to check it out and edit it if the spirit moves you.

Gumdrop models of the 7 crystal systems and the 14 Bravais Lattices

Submitted by Joy Heising / Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS University) on Mon, 05/18/2015 - 19:01
Description

Groups of 3-4 students follow this handout to create models of the 7 crystal systems and the 14 Bravais lattices using DOTS gumdrops, bamboo skewers and wood toothpicks. 

 

Community Challenge #3: Solid state structures

Submitted by Chip Nataro / Lafayette College on Tue, 04/21/2015 - 09:53

This community challenge was to come up with problems on solid state structures. Not exactly my area of expertise. In fact, I ofter turn to VIPEr for help when I teach this these topics. I think we received some really great contributions for this community challenge. I am honored to have co-authored a few of them with Maggie Geselbracht. I look forward to using the rest of these in my class in the future.

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