Fluorescence-related experimental techniques play an important role in biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology. However, fluorescence-related experiments are rarely included in the laboratory courses of most Chinese universities. This is mainly due to the conflict between large class size (50-60 students in one room) and funding/space…

Many electroanalytical techniques utilize three-electrode systems consisting of reference, counter, and working electrodes. These electrodes are often expensive when purchased commercially, making low-cost alternatives a vital area of research. Cheaper alternatives have been proposed; however, they often require time-consuming assembly techniques…

The use of radioactive isotopes in radioactive decay studies can be a problem due to the manipulation of radioisotopes, expensive equipment, and the difficulty of finding samples with a reasonable half-life (between 1 and 10 min). In this paper, we present a mock-up of a Geiger-Mu¨ller counter plus three fictitious radioisotopes. They form an…

This work shows the redesign of an elemental experience based on the Helmholtz resonator using 3D printing. A Helmholtz resonator is based on a volume and at least one opening that can include a tube or not. The air column inside the tube can be considered the mass of the system, whereas the volume represents the system's stiffness. Due to these…

We propose an apparatus that emulates the experiment used by Geiger and Marsden in 1913 to investigate alpha particles (Rutherford) scattering. Using a widely available fused deposition modelling 3D-printer, we built a compartmented and easily assembled educational instrument. The whole apparatus is composed of a 3D-printed chamber and an…

Scanning probe-based microscopes (SPMs) are widely used in biology, chemistry, materials science, and physics to image and manipulate matter on the nanoscale. Unfortunately, high school and university departments lack expensive SPM tools and materials microscopy activities to educate a large number of students in this vital SPM imaging technique.…

We present a modernization of the undergraduate physical chemistry laboratory experiment for determining the speed of sound in various gases from resonant frequencies in a spherical resonator. The resonator (schematic IR = 7.5 cm) is constructed by 3D printing with eco-friendly poly(lactic acid), a commercially viable alternative to traditional…

A fluorometer is a device that measures the spectroscopic properties of fluorescent materials, and fluorometry is used widely in chemistry research settings to characterize fluorescent samples. One of the obstacles faced by undergraduate programs looking to implement fluorometer-based experiments into their laboratory curriculum is the high cost…

We demonstrate that the simplicity of preparing functional microfluidic devices using 3D printing is well suited for undergraduate laboratories. Educational experiments utilizing non-paper-based microfluidic devices are often relegated to well-equipped, resource rich universities because traditional fabrication techniques require specialized and…

Here, students determine the total phenolic content in beers using the Folin-Ciocalteu assay. The Folin-Ciocalteu reagent is a yellow complex, in an alkaline medium; it reacts with phenols and non-phenolic reducing substances to form a blue complex. Quantitative analysis was carried out using absorbance measured at 765 nm (standard method) and…

Plasma protein binding measurements are an important aspect of pharmacology and drug development. Therefore, performing these measurements can provide a valuable and highly practical learning experience for students across many scientific disciplines. Here, we describe the design and characterization of a 3D-printed device capable of performing…

Hardware security is one of the most researched areas in the field of security. It focuses on discovering and understanding attacks and countermeasures for electronic hardware that provides the "root-of-trust" for modern computing systems upon which the software stack is built. The increasing reliance on electronic devices in our…

Recently devices such as the optical mouse of a computer, webcams, Wii remote, and digital cameras have been used to record and analyze different physical phenomena quantitatively. Devices like tablets and smartphones are also becoming popular. Different scientific applications available at Google Play (Android devices) or the App Store (iOS…