Answering 5 Commonly Asked Questions on Lab Glassware

A laboratory is one place that sees a lot of experiments, research, and analysis done by scientists, students, and researchers. However, to perform such activities, they need to source equipment like thermometers, lab burners, glassware, beakers, test tubes, heating mantles, gas chromatographs, face shields, fume hoods, and more from a trusted lab equipment supplier.

Of all the laboratory apparatus, you cannot ignore the importance and popularity of glassware, and thus, this article answers all your common questions concerning lab glassware.

Laboratory glassware is a type of laboratory equipment commonly and popularly used in biology, analytical, and chemistry laboratories. The glass equipment can be transformed into a variety of shapes by molding, bending, cutting, and blowing processes.

Glass as a material surpasses plastic when it comes to resisting chemicals against several substances like alkalis, acids, saline solutions, organic solvents, and water. Another advantage of glassware is its dimensional stability at varying temperatures and transparency. Moreover, glass equipment is suitable for chemical and reagent storage.

When working with glass equipment in the laboratories, the first responsibility is to train first-timers and inform them of the potential hazards. Next, please consider the glass’s thermal and mechanical shock limitations. Stir well when trying to induce an exothermic reaction and cool the chemical.

Using volumetric flasks and graduated cylinders for exothermic reactions is not recommended. Make sure not to heat the volumetric instruments on the heating plates to avoid the chances of breakage.

Keep the glass equipment at a maintained temperature and pressure. Also, they are not made for vacuum use. Lastly, don’t forget to use safety devices like gloves, goggles, and screens.

When it comes to thermal resistance, heat the glass equipment to a temperature between the upper and lower annealing point. It is best to leave the equipment at the desired temperature for around 30 minutes and then leave it to cool as per the recommended cooling rates.

The glass’s tensile strength - a factor influenced by the presence of scratches or cracks is low. Make sure to properly heat and cool the glass equipment to avoid breakage. Various glass equipment shows different resistance to temperature changes. For the best laboratory glassware, source it from a known lab glassware supplier.

To begin with, clean all the glass equipment using cold water to make sure all the protein residues are eliminated. The next step is to soak all the glass equipment in a disinfectant solution having an appropriate dilution ratio. Now, eliminate any materials stuck to the glass surface using a bristle brush. It is time to use an ultrasonic bath or soak them again. Rinse the glassware in deionized water up to three times to eliminate detergent particles, if any. Leave them to dry in a hygienic environment or use a hot air oven.