hermanntrude

sounds like a great way to win a darwin award.

Probably it's possible to do it without being killed. Probbly it's possible to do it ten thousand times without getting hurt. But there's always a risk, whereas with helium, very little risk.

what was your trouble with silicone? I thought that was gas permeable...

Dr P: dude i think i know you!

your wife's name begins with an H

My own interest is to see where nanomanufacturing can impact our energy and environmental needs... like increasing the efficiency of photovoltaics, for example.

yes. I worked with a fellow who was trying to make photovoltaic stuff. he belived that it was possible that one day we'd have transparent (visibly transparent, anyway) PV cells in our windows. they'd absorb UV light and generate electricity from that

My PhD was in nanomaterials, and it went to show for the first time that a molecule could act as an electrical rectifier.

I think nanotechnology is great

however, there are bandwagons, and people will jump on them

The trouble with nanotech at the current time is that it makes so much money and interest that everyone and his wife is interested in studying it. Which means there's a ton of crappy research going on and only a few genuine diamonds shining amongst the rough.

a word of advice about PhDs:

If you don't absolutely LOVE your subject and want to do it despite the odds, don't get a PhD. It's hard work, depressing at times, INCREDIBLY expensive, and when you're finished you'll probably end up doing postdoctoral training which is VERY badly paid, under-rated and comes with a big load of disrespect from your seniors. After that you have three options:

1)you can get a job in industry if you're lucky, but a lot of industries won't take a PhD cos they cost too much, and they could geta fresh graduate and train them up for less

2) you can become an academic, work your way up to get tenure and be a famous professor, except of course that this means doing two jobs, neither of which is actually doing any chemistry at all, and you don't get nearly enough pay for it

3) you can become a teacher, which is great, but you would have been better off studying chemistry and an education degree, which would have taken less time and cost less

IMO, taking a PhD is very valuable but only if you're dedicated to chemistry or you want to become a professor

hello all

My name's Hermann. I'm a PhD in nanomaterials, recently finished postdoc-ing in canada and the UK, and i've got myself a permanant job in newfoundland (canada), working as a chemistry instructor. I've started developing a bunch of demonstrations for my students and ran across this forum during my searches on the oscillating reactions, which I don't have any malonic acid for :0(

I might try it with citric acid....