Chemical Forums

Specialty Chemistry Forums => Materials and Nanochemistry forum => Topic started by: HailoMan on April 15, 2013, 08:27:46 PM

Title: Ultrasonication Temperature Measurement
Post by: HailoMan on April 15, 2013, 08:27:46 PM

Hi all,

Apology in advanced if this is a silly question.
I am running some ultrasonication experiments in the lab and need to measure the temperature of the solution.

Is it safe / sensible to use the standard mercury thermometer for temperature measurement?
I was thinking that mercury might absorb the ultrasound energy better than the solution itself, which can be either dangerous (if the temperature goes up that fast) / give erroneous reading.

Thank you

Title: Re: Ultrasonication Temperature Measurement
Post by: Arkcon on April 15, 2013, 08:54:13 PM

I'm not sure, but my gut reaction is the same is yours, a hollow glass liquid-filled tube in an ultrasonic bath seems like the potential for problems.  You might want to look into a thermocouple thermometer, or at least be sure your thermometer is alcohol filled instead of mercury.  Also, the thermometer should be in a vessel with the sample, not the bath.  Still, I wouldn't leave the thermometer in place, I'd just check intermittently.

Title: Re: Ultrasonication Temperature Measurement
Post by: Mitch on April 16, 2013, 12:03:34 AM

The mercury sounds like a really bad idea. Most EH&S departments will replace them for ethanol thermometers for free.

Title: Re: Ultrasonication Temperature Measurement
Post by: HailoMan on April 16, 2013, 09:14:27 PM

Thanks for the responses.
I wasn't planning on putting the thermometer in place continuously, but I was a skeptical on even putting in a glass filled with liquid metal onto ultrasonicator, even if it's intermittent.
I've seen people do it in the lab and I've wondered if it's quite the right thing to do.

Title: Re: Ultrasonication Temperature Measurement
Post by: curiouscat on April 17, 2013, 01:21:05 AM

How accurate must it be? Thermocouples are cheap these days.