Hands-On Data Analysis: Using 3D Printing To Visualize Reaction Progress Surfaces

Advances in 3D printing technology over the past decade have led to its expansion into all subfields of science, including chemistry. This technology provides useful teaching tools that facilitate communication of difficult chemical concepts to students and researchers. Presented here is the use of 3D printing technology to create tangible models of reaction progress surfaces. Easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions are provided for the creation of these surfaces from IR, NMR, and HPLC data. More generally, this procedure enables conversion of any arrayed data set into a 3D-printable STL file. The general utility of these 3D-printed models is highlighted with three unique case studies.