Involving High School Students in Computational Physics University Research: Theory Calculations of Toluene Adsorbed on Graphene
Journal article, 2016

To increase public awareness of theoretical materials physics, a small group of high school students is invited to participate actively in a current research projects at Chalmers University of Technology. The Chalmers research group explores methods for filtrating hazardous and otherwise unwanted molecules from drinking water, for example by adsorption in active carbon filters. In this project, the students use graphene as an idealized model for active carbon, and estimate the energy of adsorption of the methylbenzene toluene on graphene with the help of the atomic-scale calculational method density functional theory. In this process the students develop an insight into applied quantum physics, a topic usually not taught at this educational level, and gain some experience with a couple of state-of-the-art calculational tools in materials research.

Author

Jonas Ericsson

Hulebäcksgymnasiet

Teodor Husmark

Hulebäcksgymnasiet

Christoffer Mathiesen

Hulebäcksgymnasiet

Benjamin Sepahvand

Hulebäcksgymnasiet

Øyvind Borck

Randaberg videregående skole

Linda K Gunnarsson

Hulebäcksgymnasiet

Pär Lydmark

Hulebäcksgymnasiet

Elsebeth Schröder

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Quantum Device Physics

PLoS ONE

1932-6203 (ISSN) 19326203 (eISSN)

Vol. 11 8 e0159168- e0159168

Pollutant physisorption and weak chemisorption - atomic-scale theory and calculations

Swedish Research Council (VR) (2014-5289), 2015-01-01 -- 2018-12-31.

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Innovation and entrepreneurship

Areas of Advance

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Health Engineering

Life Science Engineering (2010-2018)

Materials Science

Roots

Basic sciences

Infrastructure

C3SE (Chalmers Centre for Computational Science and Engineering)

Subject Categories

Theoretical Chemistry

Water Treatment

Condensed Matter Physics

Learning and teaching

Pedagogical work

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0159168

PubMed

27505418

More information

Latest update

8/3/2020 1