Ph.D. Salford University United Kingdom

Chemical education

Entry-level chemistry lab curriculum is Nyasuluís central area of expertise and research focus. Our goal is to provide laboratory experiences that increase student engagement, improve critical thinking and teach teamwork. We are writing experiments in which students formulate how to accomplish laboratory tasks on their own, perform nontrivial hypothesis testing, use modern instrumentation, perform significant data analysis and perform challenging and engaging work.

Preparation of target materials by electrodeposition

By analogy with the formation of organic materials (polymers) from compounds with multiple bonds (e.g., polyethylene), our goal is to identify and implement conditions (micro and macro depositions) wherein metal-ligand multiple bonds can be polymerized onto the surface of an electrode via electrochemical reduction in aprotic solvents at ambient temperatures. The approach is illustrated by the electrodeposition of solid chromium dioxide, CrO2, from molecular CrO2Cl2:

CrO2Cl2 + 2 e- ? CrO2(s) + 2 Cl-

Initial studies are focused on the electrodeposition of ME2X2 (M = Mo, W, Cr; E = O, S; X = Cl, Br). The optimal conditions for electrodeposition are first identified from cyclic voltammetric characterization. Both potentiostatic and galvanostatic modes of electrodeposition are explored. Deposits (thin film and bulk) are analyzed by by various spectroscopic and various surface analysis techniques.

Nano-Band electrodes for the measurement of trace metals.

Our focus is arsenic determination in drinking and wastewater at the ppb level using anodic stripping voltammetry at the gold and carbon NanoBand electrodes. We are investigating new As(V) to As(III) reduction strategies (As(V) does not plate) and looking for ways to easily mitigate the copper interference problem; Cu and As stripping peaks greatly overlap.

Rebecca Barlag, Frazier Nyasulu, Rachel Starr, Jenna Silverman, Phyllis Arthasery and Lauren McMills, A Student-Made Silver-Silver Chloride Reference Electrode for the General Chemistry Laboratory; ~10-Minute Preparation, Journal of Chemical Education, 2014, In press.

Frazier Nyasulu, Rebecca Barlag and Lauren McMills; Magnetic Susceptibility of Coordination Compounds, Journal of Laboratory Chemical Education, 2014, In Press

Frazier Nyasulu, Rebecca Barlag and Lauren McMills, The H3PO4 Acid Ionization Reactions; A Capstone Multi-concept General Chemistry laboratory Exercise, Journal of Chemical Education, 2013

Frazier Nyasulu, Rebecca Barlag and Lauren McMills, Weak Acid Ionization Constants and the Determination of Weak Acid- Weak Base Reaction equilibrium Constants in the General Chemistry Laboratory. Journal of Chemical Education, 2013, 90, 768-770.

Lauren McMills, Frazier Nyasulu and Rebecca Barlag, Comparing Mass and Volumetric Titrations in the General Chemistry Laboratories , Journal of Chemical Education, 2012, 89, 958-959