New Perspectives in Science Education

Voltammetric methods have become an indispensable part of chemical research. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), in particular, is considered the most important method in the field of voltammetry. [1] Researchers use CV to determine redox properties, the number of electrons transferred or the reversibility of the reaction. CV also reveals information on the thermodynamics and kinetics of reactions as well as on underlying reaction mechanisms. Despite their great importance and diverse applications, voltammetric methods are rarely taught in school and teacher training courses. Likewise, previous literature and experiments mainly address graduate students and PhD candidates. [2]

In this contribution, we present simple models and experiments to demonstrate that CV can easily be connected to the donor-acceptor principle and is well suited for repetition, application, consolidation and extension of relevant concepts of chemistry. Furthermore, the method offers the special opportunity not only to recognize the initial and final state of a redox process, but also to follow the course of electron transfer.

Our models and experiments help to make CV accessible to undergraduates and students at high school or school labs, providing a more detailed understanding of redox processes and the ability to observe them experimentally. In detail, we present teaching and learning materials students can use to investigate the reversibility of electrochemical reactions, using iron complexes and ascorbic acid. Additional experiments cover the determination of concentrations, redox potentials and the identification of chemical species. These topics are typically part of high school curricula and can be deepened in a more illustrative way by CV measurements. Finally, we present a first evaluation using CV materials in a teacher education lab course.