The finals of the 3rd National Chemistry Experiment Innovation and Design Competition for College Students was held at Xiamen University from August 21 to 24. The innovative experimental project named "Ultra-fast Preparation of Silica Photonic Crystal", completed by Nankai University College of Chemistry’s undergraduates, Liang Chiyu, Zhang Sihan and Lu Chenxin, under the guidance of supervisors Qiu Xiaohang and Zhu Baolin, won the special prize at the competition. This is the third consecutive year that Nankai University students have won the special prize at the competition.

A total of 908 teams from 410 universities participated in the competition, which presented 18 special prizes, 33 first prizes and 39 second prizes. 

Using silica as the material, the Nankai University team harnessed the frontier of scientific research in undergraduate experimental teaching, and prepared photonic crystals with distinct iridescent structural color through the steps including microsphere synthesis, dispensing and self-assembly. Color tuning and electron microscope characterization were used to intuitively show the internal relationship between structure, nature and functions. The experiment features an ingenious design and obvious phenomenon. While focusing on training in basic operations, it shows the unique charm of chemistry through "controlled synthesis". 

The National Chemistry Experiment Innovation and Design Competition for College Students is a national university student discipline competition co-sponsored by the Chinese Chemical Society and the Ministry of Education’s National Joint Committee of Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center for Colleges and Universities. Since its inception in 2019, this competition has become an event for exchange in experimental teaching of chemistry discipline in China. 

(Edited and translated by Nankai News Team)