Resumen de Effective, Safe, and Inexpensive Microscale Ultrasonic Setup for Teaching and Research Labs
Ángel Manuel Montaña Pedrero, Pedro M. Grima
Ultrasound has been used as a source of energy in chemical reactions to increase both reaction rate and product yield. Ultrasonic horns can be used for this purpose on the laboratory scale. A homemade, safe, effective, and inexpensive reactor for ultrasonic horns with applications in microscale experiments in teaching and research laboratories is presented here. The vessel has two side necks for the insertion of either a flexible temperature probe, an inert-gas line adapter, or a septum to take samples from the reaction mixture. The reactor design allows work with small volumes (2-3 mL) optimal for microscale reactions. The tip of the sonication probe easily reaches the bottom of the vessel, producing vigorous agitation throughout the reaction medium. The design also facilitates temperature modulation with an external cooling bath, allowing reactions at low temperatures. This homemade reactor vessel for ultrasonic horns has only one-sixth the cost of the standard commercial reactors. The microscale sonication setup is safer than larger units because of its robust single-piece construction and easy placement in a protection shield cabinet, and the reduced hazards inherent in running reactions on a small scale. An experimental procedure is included to illustrate the applicability of the system.
