Electrolysis of Water in the Secondary School Science Laboratory with Inexpensive Microfluidics

• Published in: Journal of chemical education Vol. 92; no. 1; pp. 116 - 119
• Main Authors: Davis, T. A, Athey, S. L, Vandevender, M. L, Crihfield, C. L, Kolanko, C. C. E, Shao, S, Ellington, M. C. G, Dicks, J. K, Carver, J. S, Holland, L. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Easton American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc 13-01-2015; Division of Chemical Education, Inc and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society; American Chemical Society
• Subjects: Chemistry; Educational materials; Electrocatalysis; Electrolysis; Elementary school students; High Schools; Instructional materials; Laboratories; Laboratory Equipment; Learning; Microfluidics; Middle Schools; Organic chemistry; Science education; Science Experiments; Science Instruction; Science Laboratories; Scientific Concepts; Secondary School Science; Secondary school students; Secondary schools; Stoichiometry; Water; West Virginia; West Virginia; Stoichiometry; High School/Introductory Chemistry; Electrolytic/Galvanic Cells/Potentials; Microscale Lab; Elementary/Middle School Science
• ISSN: 0021-9584; 1938-1328
• DOI: 10.1021/ed400757m

This activity allows students to visualize the electrolysis of water in a microfluidic device in under 1 min. Instructional materials are provided to demonstrate how the activity meets West Virginia content standards and objectives. Electrolysis of water is a standard chemistry experiment, but the typical laboratory apparatus (e.g., Hoffman cell) is best suited for group presentations. With microfluidics, the cell volume is reduced from 100 mL to 100 μL, making the electrolysis safer and easier to view by an individual. A single device is reusable and assembled for $5. This report describes the development of a microfluidic learning module that was implemented and assessed in the eighth-grade chemistry classroom.