Todd:Solvents

Home        Contact        Internal        People        Papers        Research        Teaching        Links        News        Construction       

Storage of Solvents in the Lab We must try to mimimize the level of flammable solvents we hold in the lab. Make use of the main store for this. Label our Winchesters with our group name. We are able to deposit and remove solvents between 9 and 3. In the lab, flammable solvents must be stored in the yellow flammable cabinets. The Winchesters must be standing upright, not on their sides. Keep flammable solvents separate from chlorinated solvents, and separate again from toxic solvents such as methanol. (note that flammable reagents are kept in other yellow flammables cabinets) Chlorinated solvents are usually kept under a hood, together. Solvent Distillation We usually distil hexane on Wednesdays. One group member is responsible for this each week. If you are that person, make sure that you accurately assess the likely amount of hexane needed for the coming week, and you distil enough hexane. Usually 6 Winchesters is OK but ask around and check the level of stock in the store (on the laminated paper sheet in the lab). Once this is done, store some of the bottles (usually 3) in the store. If it's your week to distil, you also need to bring up Winchesters of other solvents (usually 2 Winchesters of each). The person doing the hexane distillation also needs to book the distillation session for the following week. Solvent distillation rota: 11 Sept: 18 Sept: 25 Sept: Obtaining Other Solvents from Stills If we need small amounts of other solvents dried, we must use the stills operated by other groups. It is very important that you seek advice if you are uncertain of how to do this. You must use the stills carefully so as not to contaminate the solvent, and you must leave the still in good condition. We'll soon have the solvent purification system, thankfully.