This document relates to a dual flask and methods and systems employing a dual flask. In some cases, a dual flask provided herein can include two flasks joined near their based by a filter.
Flasks come in a number of shapes and a wide range of sizes. In some cases, flasks include a wider vessel “body” and one (or sometimes more) narrower tubular sections at the top called necks which have an opening at the top. Laboratory flask sizes are typically specified by the volume they can hold, typically in metric units such as milliliters (mL or ml) or liters (L or l). Laboratory flasks have traditionally been made of glass, but can also be made of plastic.
Flasks can be used for making solutions or for holding, containing, collecting, or sometimes volumetrically measuring chemicals, samples, solutions, etc. for chemical reactions or other processes such as mixing, heating, cooling, dissolving, precipitation, boiling (as in distillation), or analysis.
A dual flask provided herein includes at least a first flask structure and a second flask structure. Each flask structure can include a body and a neck. The first body and the second body in a dual flask provided herein can be connected together and have a filter there between such that fluids can be filtered between said first and second bodies. A body in each flask structure provided herein can be a wider part of the vessel, and a neck in each flask structure provided herein can be a narrower tubular part of the vessel. In some cases, each flask structure can have a round-bottom flask structure, where each body comprises a rounded vessel. In some cases, each flask structure can have a flat bottom (e.g., have a structure of an Erlenmeyer flask). In some cases, one or more flask structures can have a side arm. In some cases, each side arm can include a valve. In some cases, each flask structure can have a structure of a Schlenk flask.
A dual flask provided herein can include glass. In some cases, a dual flask provided herein can be formed of glass. In some cases, a filter connecting bodies of the flask structures can be a glass filter. In some cases, a dual flask provided herein can include a borosilicate glass. In some cases, a dual flask provided herein can include a polymer (e.g., PTFE).
A filter between the flask structures in a dual flask provided herein can have any appropriate structure and/or be made of any appropriate material. In some cases, the filter is a glass filter. In some cases, the filter can have an average pore size of between 0.5 μm and 300 μm. In some cases, the filter can have an average pore size of between 1 μm and 100 μm. In some cases, the filter can have an average pore size of between about 2 μm and about 5 μm. In some cases, the filter can have an average pore size of between about 50 μm and about 75 μm.
A dual flask provided herein can have any appropriate size. In some cases, the dual flask can have a total internal volume of between 50 mL and 10 L. In some cases, each of the flask structures can have an internal volume of between 50 mL and 1 L. In some cases, each of the flask structures can have an internal volume of between 100 mL and 150 mL (e.g., about 125 mL).
A dual flask provided herein can allow reactions to be undertaken in the body of one flask structure and filtered into another flask structure while both bodies are retained in a controlled bath and each neck is outside of that controlled bath. In some cases, each neck is at least 5 cm long (e.g., between 5 cm and 15 cm long). In some cases, a dual flask provided herein can allow a solution to be separated from insoluble material while being kept in an inert atmosphere, and while being kept at a certain temperature by submersion in a hot/cold bath. For example, a dual flask provided herein can be a dual Schenk flask where each body has a round bottom and air can be evacuated through side arms in a long neck outside of a bath, such that air and water can be excluded. Because the round bottoms of the Schenk flask structures are connected, the reaction products can be filtered while in a controlled bath. Passing reaction products through vessels which are not submersed in a temperature controlled bath can be dangerous when a reaction product includes a solvent that boils below room temperature.
The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description, drawings, and the claims.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
A dual flask provided herein includes at least a first flask structure and a second flask structure connected at a wider body portion of each flask structure, with a filter there between, such that fluids can be filtered between the flask structures. A filter being near the bottom of the dual flask can allow fluids to be filtered without the fluid leaving a controlled environment (e.g., a hot or cold water bath). A dual flask provided herein can have flask structures having any appropriate shape and/or structure. In some cases, each flask structure can have a Schlenk flask structure, such as depicted in
As shown in
First flask structure 101, as shown in
Second flask structure 102, as shown in
Dual flask 100 can be formed out of any suitable material or combination of materials. In some cases, dual flask 100 can include glass. In some cases, dual flask 100 can be formed of glass. In some cases, filter 140 can be a glass filter. In some cases, dual flask 100 can include a borosilicate glass. In some cases, dual flask 100 can include a polymer (e.g., PTFE). Other suitable materials include ceramics and metals.
Filter 140 between flask structures 101 and 102 can have any appropriate structure and/or be made of any appropriate material. In some cases, the filter is a glass filter. In some cases, the filter can have an average pore size of between 0.5 μm and 300 μm. In some cases, the filter can have an average pore size of between 1 μm and 100 μm. In some cases, the filter can have an average pore size of between about 2 μm and about 5 μm. In some cases, the filter can have an average pore size of between about 50 μm and about 75 μm. In some cases, the filter can be made of glass frit, silica frit, Celite frit, or a combination thereof.
Dual flask 100 can have any appropriate size. In some cases, dual flask 100 can have a total internal volume of between 50 mL and 10 L. In some cases, each flask structure 101 and 102 can have an internal volume of between 50 mL and 1 L. In some cases, each flask structure 101 and 102 can have an internal volume of between 100 mL and 150 mL (e.g., about 125 mL).
A dual flask provided herein can allow reactions to be undertaken in the body of one flask structure and filtered into another flask structure while both bodies are retained in a controlled bath and each neck is outside of that controlled bath. In some cases, each neck is at least 5 cm long (e.g., between 5 cm and 15 cm long). In some cases, a dual flask provided herein can allow a solution to be separated from insoluble material while being kept in an inert atmosphere, and while being kept at a certain temperature by submersion in a hot/cold bath. For example, a dual flask provided herein can be a dual Schenk flask where each body has a round bottom and air can be evacuated through side arms in a long neck outside of a bath, such that air and water can be excluded. Because the round bottoms of the Schenk flask structures are connected, the reaction products can be filtered while in a controlled bath. In some cases, round bottoms of bodies 151 and 152 can allow reactions to be undertaken, and then filtered into the other body. Passing reaction products through vessels which are not submersed in a temperature controlled bath can be dangerous when a reaction product includes a solvent that boils below room temperature. For example, dual flasks provided herein can allow a solution to be separated from insoluble material while being kept in an inert atmosphere, and while being kept at a certain temperature by submersion in a hot/cold bath.
Dual flasks provided herein, such as dual flask 100 as shown in
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/954,136, filed Mar. 17, 2014. The disclosure of the prior applications is considered part of (and is incorporated by reference in) the disclosure of this application.
This invention was made with government support under DE-FC07-06ID14781 awarded by The Department of Energy. The government has certain rights in the invention.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3456672 | Randall | Jul 1969 | A |
3956125 | Strutt | May 1976 | A |
4693834 | Hossom | Sep 1987 | A |
5603900 | Clark | Feb 1997 | A |
20020173046 | Hafez | Nov 2002 | A1 |
20030200788 | Newbound | Oct 2003 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20150258541 A1 | Sep 2015 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
61954136 | Mar 2014 | US |