Eight Hamilton College students are working on a long-term research project that investigates the optical properties of rare earth based solid materials under the supervision of Professor of Chemistry Karen Brewer and Professor of Physics Ann Silversmith. Kate Schirmer '05, Peter Burke '06, Helena Grabo '06, Greg Armstrong '06 and Brendan Sullivan '07 are each conducting specified parts of this interdisciplinary study. Brewer and Silversmith also oversee the work of incoming first-year students Tessa Olson '08, Katie Donahue '08 and John-Henry Forster '08, who contribute to the work on the synthesis and spectroscopy of the materials.
| Summer Research 2004 |
In this interdisciplinary research, the students synthesize compounds containing rare earth ions, and then incorporate the compounds into a sol-gel, which is a solution that gels to form a solid. This process allows for the study of the compound's optical properties. When the materials absorb light, they glow or emit light at a longer wavelength. Such materials have potential applications such as plasma television screens, solid state lasers and fluorescent lights.
Schirmer and Grabo are synthesizing chelated complexes of europium and terbium, two different rare earth ions. By surrounding the ions with chelating ligands, the ions are protected from close interaction with hydroxyl groups when placed into sol-gel. Also, the ligands can act as an antenna, where energy absorbed by the ligand passed to the rare earth ion and excites rare earth fluorescence.
 Tessa Olson '08 and John-Henry Forster '08. |
Sullivan is studying the dispersal of the rare earth ion terbium within the sol-gel. When normally added to sol-gel, rare earth ions do not enter uniformly and instead associate in small clusters, which affects their optical properties. Sullivan will attempt to evenly distribute the terbium by adding aluminum ions or other co-dopants to the sol-gel glass. He will study both how the aluminum affects the terbium distribution and how the temperature used to process the glass, up to 1,000 ºC, increases the glass' fluorescence.
This research has been ongoing since 1997, with past senior students doing related studies for their thesis projects and underclassmen performing summer research. Student findings in chemistry impact physics research, which ultimately determines the next chemistry studies. "There are a lot of avenues for continued research and there will continue to be interesting projects for the foreseeable future," said Brewer.
"The hardest part might be not knowing where the research is going at times, being unsure of how I can organize all of the data I've collected (to) make some sense of it and decide where to go with it," admits Sullivan. However, he also claims that this ambiguity is the most enjoyable of his work because, "it makes me realize that I'm really doing my own research, experimenting and trying new procedures and methods."
When eight college students begin working together on a group project, their motivations will vary. "My motivation to do summer research stems from my love of science and curiosity about the world around me," says Burke, while Grabo is motivated by her "desire to learn more about how (the) sciences are applied" in everyday life. After spending a semester abroad in Stockholm, Sweden, Schirmer looked forward to "getting back to the lab after a semester in which I did not take any science classes." And while working last summer on a research project at Hamilton was a reason for Sullivan to stay on campus, he also admits conducting research in his field of study "beats bagging groceries all summer."
The new state-of-the-art science facilities under construction will aid students and professors in their summer research. Phase I of construction was completed approximately a month ago, and while professors and students are still settling in, the advantages of their new working environment are already present. The group raved about lab space, which they estimated at twice as large as the old science labs. "I think it will make for a much better learning environment," said Schirmer. Brewer agreed, "The teaching labs are infinitely better than the old science building," And for those dog days of summer, Brewer added, "Not to mention the air-conditioning."
-- by Jason Ruback '05
