Elevating Chemistry Research with a Modern Electronics Toolkit

Abstract

With the rapid development of high technology, chemical science is not as it used to be a century ago. Many chemists acquire and utilize skills that are well beyond the traditional definition of chemistry. The digital age has transformed chemistry laboratories. One aspect of this transformation is the progressing implementation of electronics and computer science in chemistry research. In the past decade, numerous chemistry-oriented studies have benefited from the implementation of electronic modules, including microcontroller boards (MCBs), single-board computers (SBCs), professional grade control and data acquisition systems, as well as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). In particular, MCBs and SBCs provide good value for money. The application areas for electronic modules in chemistry research include construction of simple detection systems based on spectrophotometry and spectrofluorometry principles, customizing laboratory devices for automation of common laboratory practices, control of reaction systems (batch- and flow-based), extraction systems, chromatographic and electrophoretic systems, microfluidic systems (classical and nonclassical), custom-built polymerase chain reaction devices, gas-phase analyte detection systems, chemical robots and drones, construction of FPGA-based imaging systems, and the Internet-of-Chemical-Things. The technology is easy to handle, and many chemists have managed to train themselves in its implementation. The only major obstacle in its implementation is probably one’s imagination.

Sensing Optimum in the Raw: Leveraging the Raw-Data Imaging Capabilities of Raspberry Pi for Diagnostics Applications

“…Basically, the core of the software function that controls the camera has the following structure: def image_processing(camera_framerate, camera_led, camera_image_effect, camera_exposure_mode, camera_exposure_compensation, camera_awb_mode, camera_awb_gains_1, camera_awb_gains_2, camera_shutter_speed, camera_h_flip, camera_v_flip): stream = io.BytesIO() with picamera.PiCamera() as camera: time.sleep (5) camera.framerate = camera_framerate camera.led = camera_led camera.image_effect = camera_image_effect camera.exposure_mode = camera_exposure_mode camera.exposure_compensation = int(camera_exposure_compensation) camera.awb_mode = camera_awb_mode camera.awb_gains = (float(camera_awb_gains_1), float(camera_awb_gains_2)) camera.shutter_speed = int(camera_shutter_speed)…”

“…In the past decade, mobile phones, microcontroller boards (MCBs) and single-board computers (SBCs) gained increasing attention as imaging, sensing and diagnostics tools [1][2][3][4][5].…”

3D printed ceramics as solid supports for enzyme immobilization: an automated DoE approach for applications in continuous flow

“…The RTD setup includes two 3D printed flow cells, common laser beams as light source, and an Arduino microcontroller to monitor the change in absorbance when a dye is injected into a microfluidic device. The setup was designed to be an efficient and low cost alternative to flow photometric equipment available on the market and reflects the power of 3D printing to design customized analytical tools without having to purchase expensive and patented equipment [18,19]. By combining 3D printed parts with low-cost microcontrollers and electronics, it is possible to extend the scope of in-house designed laboratory equipment to more complex applications, such as inline and real-time monitoring of defined process parameters [19][20][21] For rapid prototyping purposes, Arduino microcontrollers are the most known and commonly used, due to the many advantages they offer.…”

Dried Blood Spot Self‐Sampling with Automated Capillary Electrophoresis Processing for Clinical Analysis

“…and might propel a shift from the actual sick‐care to a prevention‐based healthcare system. Besides, the proposed workflow may also open new directions for on‐site analysis without the need for the transport to the laboratory by coupling the DBS self‐sampling with miniaturized and portable separation instruments [28–30] …”

“…Besides,t he proposed workflow may also open new directions for on-site analysis without the need for the transport to the laboratory by coupling the DBS selfsampling with miniaturized and portable separation instruments. [28][29][30] Results and Discussion Kit for the DBS Self-Sampling…”