Microscale Gas Chemistry:

Experiments with Methane

Link to CH4 data page including physical properties.

General Safety Precautions.
    Always wear safety glasses.  Gases in syringes may be under pressure and could spray liquid chemicals.  Follow the instructions and only use the quantities suggested.

Toxicity.
    Methane is relatively non-toxic; it is a simple asphyxiant.  It is flammable in air and forms explosive mixtures with air.
 

Suitability.
    All of these experiments are suited for use as classroom demonstrations.  Individuals attempting these experiments should be experienced with the simpler syringe/gas techniques.  Advanced students or students with special laboratory skills could be allowed to perform these experiments under close supervision by the instructor.

Syringe Lubrication.
    We recommend lubricating the black rubber diaphragm of the plunger with silicone spray (available from hardware stores) or medium-grade silicone oil (Educational Innovations, $5.95 Part #GAS-150; Fisher Catalog Number S159-500; $34/500 mL.)

Equipment. (This equipment can be ordered from a variety of vendors including Educational Innovations, Flinn Scientific (US sales only), Micro Mole, and Fisher Scientific.  Part numbers and links to their websites are provided.)

Chemicals.
  • sodium hydroxide, NaOH
  • sodium acetate, NaC2H3O2


    • Preparation of Methane.
          Here we describe the preparation of methane.  Laboratories equipped with natural gas (not LP gas) may use that gas for all of these experiments.  Gas pressure is not sufficient to push the plunger

         Gaseous methane (CH4) used in these experiments is generated by heating anhydrous sodium acetate and sodium hydroxide together in a test tube according to the reaction:

    NaOH(s) + NaC2H3O2 CH4(g) + Na2CO3(s)

        Methane is produced by the general thermal method used in previous parts of this series.   The assembled apparatus is shown in Figure 1.


    Figure 1. Apparatus

          Syringe plungers should move easily in the barrels.  This can be facilitated by applying a drop or two of oil (silicone, vegetable, or glycerin) to the groove in the plunger's rubber seal.  A small burner is also needed.  The left syringe, labeled 'CH4' is used to collect relatively pure CH4(g) and the syringe labeled 'Waste' is used to collect impure samples of gas and unwanted air.  A pinch clamp or hemostat is used to pinch closed one of the latex tubes.

          Start by pinching closed the syringe labeled 'CH4'.  Place a 4-g mixture of 50% (by mass) sodium hydroxide and 50% sodium acetate in the test tube.  Insert the stopper firmly in order to form an air-tight seal.  Caution: Do not crimp the latex tubing!

          Methane is generated by the following 3-step maneuver summarized in Figure 2.

    Step 1. Gently heat the mixture in the test tube with the cool part of the flame.  Cloudy white fumes soon will appear.  Establish a gentle rate of methane production by removing the flame as needed.  The plunger of the Waste syringe should begin to move.  It may be necessary to assist the sliding movement of the plunger up the barrel of the syringe during the reaction.  Continue to heat while gently assisting the plunger's movement.  Within a minute the volume of gas in the syringe will be 25 - 30 mL.  This gas is mostly air originally present in the test tube.

    Step 2. After 25 - 30 mL of air/CH4 has been collected in the Waste syringe, switch the location of the pinch clamp to the other latex tube so that relatively pure CH4(g) can be accumulated in the syringe labeled 'CH4'.  Continue to collect CH4(g) until at least 50 - 55 mL has been collected in the CH4-syringe.  (If you intend to collect multiple syringefuls of methane, replace the Waste syringe with another clean, dry syringe while you are waiting for the gas to accumulate during this step.)

    Step 3.  Switch the pinch clamp back to the tubing connected to the CH4-syringe and remove the heat source.  WARNING: Never simultaneously pinch both latex tubes!


          It is possible (and probably desirable) to replace the CH4(g) syringe with a clean, dry syringe, and repeat Steps 2 and 3; numerous syringefuls of methane can be collected in this fashion.  We have collected at least five syringefuls before stopping the reaction.
     

    Figure 2.  Three step procedure for generating methane.

          As each methane-filled syringe is removed from the apparatus, cap the syringe with a latex syringe cap.  After several syringefuls of methane have been collected, allow the apparatus to cool.
     
     

    Experiments with Methane.

          Most of the experiments given below involve the combustion of methane.  The reaction is:

    CH4(g) + 2 O2(g)  -----> CO2(g) + 2 H2O(g) DH = -802.3 kJ





    Experiment 1. Products of Combustion.
    Equipment:

    Chemicals:      Generate a syringeful of methane.  Equip the syringe with a length of latex tubing, a glass pipet (the tubing fits snugly inside the pipet), and the screw clamp.  Tighten the screw clamp to completely seal the tubing.  Using a ring stand and a suitable clamp, clamp the glass pipet in the approximate position shown in Figure 3.  Two people are needed for the next part of this experiment. One person should apply continuous, gentle positive pressure on the plunger so that the methane is always under pressure.   The second person should open the screw clamp just enough to allow a steady but small flow of methane.  Ignite the gas issuing from the pipet.  The flame should be no more than 1-cm in height.  The screw clamp controls the flow of the gas and should be adjusted as necessary.  Position an inverted 125-mL flask over the pipet so that flame is centered inside the flask.  Water condensation on the glass will be noted and the flame will go out within seconds due to deprivation of oxygen.  Remove the pipet from the flask and close the screw clamp.  Test the contents of the flask for CO2(g) by adding 10-mL limewater to the flask and shaking the flask for a few seconds.  A cloudy solution indicates the presence of CO2 as a result of the reaction:

    Ca(OH)2(aq) + CO2(g)  CaCO3(s) + H2O(l)


    Figure 3. Screw clamp controls gas flow rate.








    Experiment 2. How a Bunsen Burner Works.
    Equipment:

    Chemicals:      The Bunsen burner works by mixing a hydrocarbon fuel such as methane with air.  The principle is simple and can be demonstrated with a simple length of glass or plastic tubing.  The same device shown in Figure 3 will be used in this experiment.

          Clamp a piece of glass tubing in a vertical position as shown in Figure 4.  A source of forced air, such as an aquarium air pump or a second syringe filled with air is optional and is used to create a hotter flame. Generate a syringeful of methane.  Open the screw clamp and start the flow of methane through the 'Bunsen burner' tube by applying a continual positive pressure on the syringe plunger.  Light the gas at the top of the tube.  The flame will be gentle.  Start the flow of air.  This may blow out the flame if its flow rate is too great.  Use a screw clamp on the air delivery tube to reduce the flow of air.  When the methane-air mixture is optimal, the flame will be small and sharp and there will be an audible noise.  Interestingly, methane prepared as described above will burn with an orange-yellow flame due to trace levels of suspended sodium salts in the gas.  These can be removed by washing the methane (suction 5-mL distilled water into methane-filled syringe and shake) after which the methane burns with its characteristic blue flame.
     


    Figure 4. A glass tube Bunsen burner

     
     

    Experiment 3. Flame Chemistry
    Equipment:

    Chemicals:      Most chemistry textbooks describe the chemistry of the flame, a fascinating subject that was first investigated by Michael Faraday and described in his "The Chemical History of the Candle" lectures which he gave at the Royal Institution during the early and mid-19th century (see info at end of this experiment).  Faraday demonstrated that ". . . there are clearly two different kinds of action — one of the production of the vapor, and the other the combustion of it — both of which take place in particular parts of the candle."  The former is now called the pyrolysis zone, where the fuel is broken into radicals (such as H atoms and CH3 groups) and smaller molecules including H2(g).  The outer region contains air and is called the combustion zone.  In this experiment we will repeat this experiment of Michael Faraday's using methane rather than a candle flame.  The general set up uses the Bunsen burner shown in Figure 4.  The air pump is not used for this experiment.  A smaller piece of glass tubing (5 mm ID x 8 cm length) should be held by a clamp in a 45o position about 2 - 3 cm above the opening of the "Bunsen" burner as shown in Figure 5.


    Figure 5. Siphoning off the pyrolysis zone

          Prepare several syringefuls of methane.  Two people are required to perform this experiment.  One person delivers the methane through the main burner in a continuous, steady stream and ignites the gas issuing from the top.  The flame should be large enough that the small tube is positioned towards the top of the flame.  Gases diverted into the tube are incompletely combusted and can be ignited by the second person as they issue from the opening.
     

    Simple Bunsen burner

    Flames are yellow from traces of sodium due to reagents

    Washing gas with water removes sodium and methane burns blue

     

    "Faraday's Chemical History of the Candle.  Twenty-two Experiments and Six Classic Lectures," Chicago Review Press, Distributed by Independent Publishers Group, ISBN 1-55652-035-2.  Material about the life of Michael Faraday is also available at the web site of the Royal Institution of Great Britain: http://www.ri.ac.uk/History/

     

    Experiment 4. Burned Rings in Paper.
    Equipment:

    Chemicals:       This is another experiment described by Faraday for the candle.6  Here we will use methane and the burner (without the air pump) built in Experiment 2. CAUTION! Have a cup of water ready in case the paper used in this experiment catches on fire.  While one person operates the burner and methane-filled syringe, a second person holds a piece of heavy-stock paper such as a note card positioned horizontally through the inner cone as shown in Figure 6 — approximately 2 cm above the top of the burner.  Within a few seconds, the paper card will begin to burn (turn brown) in a ring.  As soon as the brown ring appears, remove the card; do not allow the paper to actually ignite.  This experiment reveals the fact that the pyrolysis zone is cool and the combustion zone is hot.
     
     


    Figure 6.  Paper starts to burn near the outside of the flame.







    Experiment 5. Window screen provides thermal insulation.
    Equipment:

    Chemicals:       As a final experiment from Faraday's work with candles, we will investigate how a piece of window screen will affect the flame when it is held in a position similar to that of the paper card in the previous experiment.  It works best to hold the screen in position 2-cm above the burner.  Do not use the air pump.
    Experiment A.  While one person discharges the methane-filled syringe through the burner tube, a second person holds the screen and ignites the gases above the screen.  Will the flame jump through the screen and start burning below?

    Experiment B.  While one person discharges the methane-filled syringe through the burner tube, a second person holds the screen and ignites the gases below the screen.  Will the flame jump through the screen and start burning above?

    Experiment C.  Holding two screens 2 and 4 cm above the burner, the gases between the screens can be ignited!


    Experiment A

    Experiment B

       The screen's ability to dissipate heat and prevent combustion while allowing flammable mixtures of gases to pass through has been used in practical applications.  Sir Humphrey Davy used this principle in his invention of the miner's safety lamp (Figure 7) in 1815.  Flammable gases from the mine could pass through the screen and burn in the enclosed flame with a 'colored haze' while the screen prevented the open flame from causing a mine explosion.
     
     


    Figure 7.  Sir Humphrey Davy's Miner's Safety Lamp

    From the web site (History page) of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. 

     
     
     

    Experiment 6. Density of Methane:  Lighter-than-Air Methane Bubbles.

    (Based on "Spectacular Gas Density  Demonstration Using Methane Bubbles", R. Snipp, B. Mattson, and W. Hardy, Journal of Chemical Education, 1981, 58, 354.)
    Equipment: Chemicals:       Methane is 45% lighter than air, so bubbles of the gas rise.  Single bubbles of suitable size are easily generated by the device shown in Figure 8.  A large bulb polyethylene transfer pipet is connected to a methane-filled syringe with a 2-cm length of latex tubing.  The bulb of the pipet is cut off with a scissors.


    Figure 8.  A pipet used as a bubble-maker

          Making the bubbles:  Dip the mouth of the pipet into a 3% dish soap solution.8  A film of soap will cover the opening.  Start forming the bubble while directing the pipet's mouth downward (Figure 8, rotated right) so the bubble forms below the device.  This allows extra soap solution to gather at the bottom of the bubble as it is forming.  While the bubble is still small, a slight shake will dislodge the extra drop which otherwise could make the bubble heavier-than-air.  Quickly fill the bubble with the 60-mL gas while tilting the device to a horizontal position (Figure 8).  Dislodge the bubble with an abrupt downward flick of the pipet.  The bubble may rise, stay suspended in air or slowly drop depending on the amount of methane compared to the mass of the soap film.  Bubbles containing 60-mL methane usually rise.  The bubbles can be ignited with a candle.  They will produce a fireball about 20-cm in diameter and represent about 2 kJ of heat.  USE CAUTION!
     
     
     

    Experiment 7. Density of Methane: Burning Methane in a Large Test Tube.
    Equipment:

    Chemicals:       Fill a large test tube with methane using water displacement.  The volume of the test tube is 80-mL so two syringefuls will be necessary.  Darken the room.  Remove the test tube from the water and continue to hold the test tube with its mouth directed downward.  Bring a burning candle up to the mouth of the test tube and the gas will begin to burn.  In order to maintain the flame and burn all of the gas, the test tube must be rotated to a 45o angle position with open end up so that the lighter-than-air methane can leave the test tube.  The gas will burn down the test tube in the form of a narrow, bright blue disk that produces condensation on the glass just above the flame.  It takes approximately 15 seconds for the burning disk of methane to burn to the bottom of the tube. Caution: The test tube will become hot, so use a test tube clamp.
     
     
     
     

    Experiment 8. Explosive Mixture of Methane/Air.
    Equipment:

    Chemicals:        Methane forms explosive mixtures with air in the 5 - 14 % range.  This can be demonstrated with the device shown in Figure 9, made from a plastic soft-drink container with the bottom half cut off.  Cover the opening with a small piece of aluminum foil.  With a sharp pencil, poke a hole of approximately 4-mm diameter in the center of the foil.  Clamp the device in the position shown in Figure 9.  Set a rubber stopper or similar object over the hole for the moment.

          Generate a syringeful of methane and transfer the gas to the device from the bottom.  Position the syringe or tube so that most of the gas accumulates near the top of the device.  Remove the object covering the hole and immediately ignite the gas.  As demonstrated in the previous two experiments, methane is lighter than air and will burn with a large flame as it passes through the hole in the foil.  When much of the methane has been consumed and the methane/air mixture falls to 14%, the gas mixture will explode downward into the container.  The 'explosion' is quite gentle (unlike hydrogen/air!), but demonstrates an important principle.  The demonstration should be repeated in a darkened room.
     
     


    Figure 9. Pop bottle used for gentle explosion







    Experiment 9. Bubble Domes.
    Equipment:

    Chemicals:       Soap film domes can be made from 3% dish soap solution8 and a strip of cloth.  Soak the cloth in the soap solution.  Then starting from one side of a 250-mL beaker, slowly drag the cloth across the top of the beaker forming a film of soap.  Without drafts, the film will remain intact for as long as a minute.  Fill a syringe with methane and equip the syringe with a 10-cm length of latex tubing.  Moisten the tubing with the soap solution and insert the tubing through the soap film.  When moistened, the tubing will not break the film.  Quickly inject the methane; it will cause the film to mound up forming a bubble as shown in Figure 10.  Remove the tubing and ignite the bubble with a candle.  [Hint: Sometimes an unwanted second bubble forms at the end of the latex tubing while the methane is being injected.  To prevent this, initially withdraw the plunger about 5-mL in order to break the film over the end of the tubing.]

    Figure 10. A partially inflated soap film dome.

     
     

    Experiment 10. Big Water Thrasher.
    Equipment:

    Chemicals:        This device, built from a 35-mm film canister, a 2-L plastic bottle and an empty piezoelectric lighter allows the demonstrator to explode small amounts of methane-oxygen mixtures under water.  The gases produced 'throw' the water more than 2-m into the air!

    Constructing the device:
        Construct a piezoelectric sparker from an empty piezoelectric lighter and a 1-m length of stereo wire (Endnote 9).  With a metal object (such as a nail) heated in a flame, melt a hole in the cap of a 35-mm film canister of the same diameter as the stereo wire.  Insert the wire through the cap and position as shown in Figure 11 and hot-glue in place.  Test the piezoelectric sparker to assure that it works.  A small blue spark should be noticed at the end of the stereo wire.  Cut the top off of a 2-L soft drink plastic beverage bottle.  Unfold a paper clip but leave one bend intact.  Warm the straight end in a flame and push the hot metal through bottom of the 2-L bottle (from the inside).  Bend the protruding wire 90o as shown in Figure 11.  The hole will slowly drip water but should not interfere with the experiment.
     
     


    Figure 11. Device for the Big Water Thrasher

         Prepare a syringe full of methane and another full of oxygen.10  With a short length (2 cm) of latex tubing, transfer 20 - 30 mL methane and 30 - 40 mL oxygen to a clean syringe.  Allow the gases to mix for a few minutes.  (A small object such as a vial cap placed inside the syringe facilitates mixing.)  Remove the cap from the film canister and transfer about 30 mL gas mixture to the canister while holding the canister open-end down (methane is lighter than air).  Immediately cap the canister with the cap/wire.  This transfer is done in air (water displacement does not work because the end of the wire gets wet).  Loop the stereo wire around the paper clip hook and fill the 2-L bottle with water.  Stand back from the mouth of the bottle and discharge a spark.  The explosion is not loud, but always makes a watery mess — plan ahead.
     

    The Big Water Thrasher - ready to go! 

    The demonstator stands back -- or will soon need a towel 

    Check out the water in the air -- try to take this sort of picture sometime!

     
     

    Experiment 11. Catalytic Oxidation of Methane in Air.
    Equipment:

    Chemicals:       One of the main purposes of the catalytic converter on your car is to fully oxidize partially combusted fuels.  This reaction can be conveniently demonstrated in the laboratory with a Gas Reaction Catalyst Tube shown in Figure 12.  (A similar suitable device can be constructed from an actual used catalytic converter from a car. )
     
     



    Figure 12. Gas Reaction Catalyst Tube
    (available from Educational Innovations)

          Fill the reagent syringe with 40 mL air (0.34 mmol O2) and 20 mL methane (0.82 mmol.)  Cap the syringe and allow the gases to mix for several minutes.  Connect the reagent syringe to the catalyst tube and assemble the apparatus as shown in Figure 12.  Pass about 10 mL of gas mixture through the catalyst tube.  This will check for leaks, determine that the plunger in the receiver flask moves freely and displace air (or previous gas mixtures) from the catalyst tube.  (Option: Remove the receiver syringe from the catalyst tube, discharge the 10-mL air from the receiver syringe and reconnect to the catalyst tube.)  With a Bunsen burner on low heat (no sharp inner cone), heat the catalyst tube evenly on all sides for a total of about 30 seconds.  The catalyst will become dark, almost black in color when it is ready for use.  If necessary, continue to heat.  Slowly pass about half of the methane/air reagent gas mixture through the catalyst tube over the course of about 30 seconds.  Be alert for problems — the volume of gases collected in the receiver syringe should equal the volume decrease in the reagent syringe.  After half of the gas mixture has been passed through the catalyst tube, remove the heat.  Remove both syringes and cap them with latex syringe caps.  Label the syringes with a marker pen.

     As with an open air combustion of methane (with a flame), the combustion reaction taking place in the catalytic converter is:

    CH4(g) + 2 O2(g)  CO2(g) + 2 H2O(g)

         One or more of the following tests may be performed on the reagent gas mixture and product gas mixture:

    (a) Limewater test for CO2:  Place 10 mL limewater in a 15 x 180 mm test tube.  Equip the syringe with a 15 cm length of latex tubing.  Bubble 10 - 20 mL of the gas through the limewater solution.  Remove the syringe and tubing.  Stopper the solution and shake to mix gaseous layer with limewater solution.

    (b) Flammability test:  Fill a small weighing boat with 3% dish soap solution (Dish soap solution, 3%, is prepared by dissolving 3 g dish soap per 100 g distilled water.)  Equip the gas syringe with the 15-cm length of latex tubing.  Discharge 10-mL gas into the soap solution in order to produce a mound of several large bubbles.  Try to ignite the bubbles with a match.  If the bubbles contain hydrocarbons, they may burn or pop rather than simply break.

    (c) Gas chromatography.  We use gas chromatography to separate and detect syringe gases.  We use a thermoconductivity detector and run the GC at room temperature.  Carrier gas is helium, 30-mL/minute.  Our choice of column is a Porapak N 80/100, 6-ft (180 cm), inside diameter = 0.085 inches (2.2 mm), available from Alltech Part Number 2716; telephone: 847-948-8600.








    Experiment 12. Catalytic Oxidation of Methane with Nitrogen Dioxide.
    Equipment:

    Chemicals:      The exhaust stream of automobile engines upstream from the catalytic converter contains NO, NO2 and incompletely oxidized hydrocarbon fuels.  Nitrogen monoxide is quickly converted to nitrogen dioxide by reaction with oxygen in the air.  One of the purposes of the catalytic converter is to remove NO2(g) which would otherwise enter the atmosphere and lead to acid rain or photochemical smog.  The catalytic converter facilitates the following reaction between hydrocarbon fuels and nitrogen dioxide:

    4 CnH2n+2(g) + (6n+2) NO2(g)  (3n+1) N2(g) + 4n CO2(g) + (4n+4) H2O(g)

    Of course, in the actual exhaust stream, hydrocarbon fragments, such as CnH2n+1(g), are also prominent.

          In this experiment, we use the Gas Reaction Catalyst Tube (Figure 12) to catalyze the reaction of methane with nitrogen dioxide:

    CH4(g) + 2 NO2(g)   N2(g) + CO2(g) + 2 H2O(g)

    This reaction is quite spectacular in that the deep red color of the gas mixture (due to NO2) goes away as the gas passes through the catalyst.  At the same time, a dense cloud of condensing water vapor is observed in the gas collection syringe.

         You will need a syringe of dry nitrogen monoxide, NO(g), oxygen, O2(g) and CH4(g).  Transfer 40-mL NO(g) to a clean, dry syringe.  With a short length (ca. 2 - 3 cm) of latex tubing, transfer 20-mL O2(g) to the NO(g) syringe.  The conversion to red-brown NO2(g) is instantaneous.  Next transfer 20-mL CH4(g) to the syringe now containing 40-mL NO2(g).  Methane and NO2(g) do not react without the catalyst.  Cap the syringe and allow the gases to mix for several minutes.

          Connect the reagent syringe (CH4/NO2) to the catalyst tube and assemble the apparatus as shown in Figure 12.  With a Bunsen burner on low heat (no sharp inner cone), heat the catalyst tube evenly on all sides for about 30 seconds.  The catalyst will become dark, almost black in color, when it is ready for use.  If necessary, continue to heat.  Slowly pass the CH4/NO2 reagent gas mixture through the catalyst tube over the course of about 30 seconds.  The product gas should have no trace of redness.  If it does, pass the gas back through the catalyst.  The most noticeable  feature of the product gas is a dense cloud of water vapor.  After the gas mixture has been passed through the catalyst tube, remove the heat.  Remove the product syringe and cap it with a latex syringe cap.  Test the product gas for CO2(g) with limewater as described in Experiment 119.







    Experiment 13. Reaction with Chlorine. Formation of Soot.
    Equipment:

    Chemicals:       Prepare a syringeful of chlorine, Cl2.  Have ready for use: a lit burner, a 3-cm length of Mg ribbon held with tongs.  Equip both the Cl2-filled syringe and the CH4-filled syringe with separate pieces of latex tubing.  Position both tubes into the bottom of a large (22 x 200 mm) test tube.  Simultaneously discharge both gases into the test tube.  Without delay, ignite the magnesium ribbon with the burner flame and drop it inside the test tube.  The light will initiate a reaction between methane and chlorine, producing soot and HCl:

    CH4(g) + 2 Cl2(g)  4 HCl(g) +  C(s)

    Various amounts of soot will be produced.  Add water to the test tube and test the pH using Universal indicator solution.  Finally, test for chloride with Ag+(aq).
     
     
     

    Other Experiments with Methane
          In this article we have presented new experiments and techniques that have not been part of this series thus far.  Because of methane's combustible properties, a number of experiments previously described lend themselves well to methane.  In particular, in our Part 4 of this series,10 we described the H2/O2 pipet rocket, the H2/O2 mini-sponge shooter and H2/O2 soap bubbles ('Dynamite soap').  These three reactions also work exceedingly well with methane-oxygen mixtures.
     
     

    Clean-up and Storage.

       At the end of the experiments, wipe excess lubricant off of rubber diaphragm. Clean all syringe parts (including the diaphragm), caps and tubing with soap and water.  Use plenty of soap to remove oil from the rubber seal.  This extends the life of the plunger.  It may be necessary to use a 3-cm diameter brush to clean the inside of the barrel.  Rinse all parts with distilled water.  Be careful with the small parts because they can easily be lost down the drain. Important: Store plunger out of barrel.
     
     


    The research group (1999 - 2000): from left: Jiro Fujita (staff member), Anamika Patel (senior chemistry major), Mike Anderson (co-PI), Joseph Nguyen (senior chemistry major), Paras Khandhar (junior chemistry major), Rebecca Catahan (senior chemistry major), Bruce Mattson (PI), and Sandhya Reddy


    This article first appeared in Chem13 News in April, 2000.  The authors of the original Chem13 article are: 

    From the Department of Chemistry, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska 68178 USA:

    • Bruce Mattson*, faculty member, principal investigator
    • Rebecca Catahan**, Creighton graduate, May, 2000, currently in PhD program in chemistry at University of North Carolina
    • Joseph Nguyen, Creighton graduate, May, 2000, now working in Residence Life at Idaho State
    • Anamika Patel, Creighton graduate, May, 2000, will begin optometry school at the University of Houston, Fall, 2001
    • Paras Khandhar, undergraduate chemistry major, will graduate May, 2001, plans to go to medical school
  • Also from Creighton University:
  • Andrew Mattson, undergraduate student, currently an English major with journalism concentration, plans to graduate in December, 2001
  • Anand Rajani, undergraduate student, currently a psychology major, plans to graduate in May, 2001 and go to medical school
    • *Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.  E-Mail: xenon@creighton.edu
    **RC gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Betty A. and Donald J. Baumann Family Scholarship. 

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    (This page last updated 29 January 2002)