The more things change, the more they stay the same

So. This week I began getting into actual science. And by that, i mean i developed a plan for what I would be doing a little more, and then started designing experiments.

 

I went in a week ago, and found Dr. Shaw(the main with the plan) and a few students looking at one potential experiment, a biodiesal reaction. With the new nanoreactors, we could conceivably create biodiesal far more efficiently. A major bye product of this organically synthesized fuel, which we would create from used cooking oil, is an acid that erodes engines, however. But with a few tweaks, we could turn this additional product into even more fuel. So now that is what I am doing. Designing the new reaction. To save the planet. Cool huh(let me think I am cool please)?

 

Anyways, I think this is when I’m supposed to give a brief backstory of the research group. Dr. Nicholas Shaw got his Ph.D, and then his job troubles began. Nobody wanted to hire him for his research projects because organic synthesis, his field of choice, is notoriously slow, since some of the reactions took days to complete. He thought about how the main issue was space. In a typical chemical flask, the chance of the last two molecules finding each other would be about the same as you and I trying to find each other on Neptune. Naturally, this didn’t happen a lot. Enter Ozorb, a new product developed by oil companies to clean up spills. It absorbs organic matter, and expels other liquids. As it takes up various organic matter, the various chemicals can react within the nanoreactor, and then when cleaned, the Ozorb releases product. By using this, and constantly “refilling” the Ozorb, so more and more stuff keeps reacting, we can ensure a lot more efficiency in organic reactions, while also cutting the typical reaction time easily in half. So Dr. Shaw, when presented with this technology that solved his major problems, took his idea to use this for more organic chemistry to Appalachian State University, where he was funded. He now, a few years later, runs the biggest undergraduate research lab at App State, and our research group has all three of its major projects up and running at the moment, with close to an average of 95% yield, an incredible feat for organic chemistry(sometimes 50% was considered “good” in lab at Wake).

 

So there you have it. I’ll update you more and more about all of this, especially the biodiesal stuff. As an environmental nut, I am so proud to be working on better fuel sources. So expect me to never shut up about it.

 

Peace