Episode 73: How Chromatography Helps Build Better Catalysts | Dr. Madalyn Radlauer (San José State University)

Chemistry doesn't end when the reaction is finished. In many research labs, chromatography is what allows scientists to understand whether their chemistry actually worked.In this episode of Concentrating on Chromatography, we sit down with Dr. Madalyn Radlauer, Associate Professor of Chemistry at San José State University, to discuss how her research group combines polymer chemistry, catalysis, and chromatography to answer fundamental questions about catalyst design and reproducibility.We explore how polymer microenvironments influence catalyst performance, why star polymers have become an exciting research area, and how techniques like TLC, silica gel chromatography, gel permeation chromatography (GPC/SEC), and emerging GC-MS methods help guide discoveries in the laboratory.Dr. Radlauer also discusses mentoring undergraduate researchers, the importance of reproducibility in chemistry, and why chromatography is far more than just a purification step—it's a tool for scientific discovery.In this episode:* How polymer-supported catalysts work* Why catalyst microenvironments matter* The role of TLC, column chromatography, SEC, and GPC in research* Developing more reproducible catalytic reactions* Using chromatography to solve research problems* Transitioning from purification to GC-MS analysis* Mentoring undergraduate researchers* The future of polymer-supported catalysisLearn more about Dr. Radlauer and her research🔬 Research Grouphttps://www.sjsu.edu/radlauer/🏛️ San José State University Department of Chemistryhttps://www.sjsu.edu/chemistry/📄 Reproducibility and Autoxidation Publicationhttps://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.5c07532📄 Boyer Lab: Arm-First Star Polymers Using RAFThttps://pubs.rsc.org/py/article-abstract/2/8/1671/355906/Optimizing-the-generation-of-narrow-polydispersity📄 Hawker & Fréchet: Acid and Base Organocatalysts in the Same Pothttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.200502095🎙️ About Concentrating on Chromatography -  @ChromatographyTalk  Concentrating on Chromatography is a podcast exploring chromatography, sample preparation, mass spectrometry, analytical chemistry, and the scientists advancing laboratory research. Each episode features conversations with researchers, instrument experts, and industry leaders working to solve real-world analytical challenges.Subscribe for new interviews covering chromatography techniques, sample preparation, laboratory innovation, and analytical chemistry.#Chromatography #AnalyticalChemistry #Catalysis #PolymerChemistry #GPC #SEC #GelPermeationChromatography #Research #Chemistry #GCMS #STEM #Laboratory #SciencePodcast #OrganometallicChemistry