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Week 1
Monday 07/08
We started by making our biodiesel from soybean oil. We did this by reacting the oil with methanol under a methoxide catalyst at 60°C. This formed our FAMEs (fatty acid methyl esters; our biodiesel) and glycerol as a side product.
We then started the cleaning process: glycerol is denser than the FAME, so we could remove it with a separatory funnel. Then we added water into the separatory funnel, slowly mixed, and then drained the denser water, hoping that impurities such as soaps and ionic salts would dissolve into the water and be removed.
During lectures, we learned about the benefits and consequences of different renewable energy sources. Through this, we got a sense of just how crucial biodiesel was in pursuing a more sustainable world. We also learned the chemistry behind how biodiesel is made and the chemical mechanisms that run the reaction.
Res life: After our classes, we got started on our skit for Cosmolympics. We split up into smaller groups and each brainstormed a theme, eventually coming together and settling on the Powerpuff girls.
Tuesday 07/09
On Tuesday, we started brainstorming and working on our ethics projects. We learned about ethics and brought up ethical dilemmas that could have an impact on the implementation of biodiesel, and formed five groups.
Later in the day, during lab, we broke up into our project groups—aerosols, one pot polyol, winterization of acids, biodegradation, and enzyme kinetics—and began working on our projects.
Res Life: Right before dinner, we informed our Cluster RA, Hallelujah, about our skit idea, and she helped us work out the details and logistics of it all. We're excited about our idea!
Wednesday 07/10
We began the day in the lab, continuing to wash and dry our soybean-based biodiesel. Lab groups rinsed their product more than twenty times to remove leftover impurities before placing their filtered biodiesel on a hot plate to evaporate the remaining water.
The afternoon was dedicated to a lecture in the Natural Science Building (NSB). We continued our exploration of alternative sources of energy and compared hydrogen gas to biodiesel, assessing its energy output, integration into our existing fuel system, and the cost of implementation. Following that, we had a mini "quiz" on our lesson from Monday that required us to detail the transesterification process our biodiesel went through. To ensure that people were on the same page, we had an in-depth lesson on chemical bonds and electronegativity and finished the lecture with an inspiring speech by our professor about academic integrity and hard work.
Res Life: Some people prepared props from cardboard and paint while others continued to rehearse the skit.
Thursday 07/11
In the NSB, we had a presentation about navigating available resources, particularly in the provided COSMOS online library, for our final projects. Another presentation was given by Mr. T on how to deliver an effective presentation.
We broke off into project groups and continued our tests and learning of our respective fields
Later that night, we finalized our newsletter. The week passed by so quickly—it's hard to believe the newsletter is due already! Keeping up has been pretty tough, but we are so glad that our teachers are patient and willing to explain every aspect to us. Now off to Cosmolympics!
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