Stirring in laboratories is an essential and standard process, and hot plate magnetic stirrers are common lab equipment found worldwide.
A hot plate stirrer heats and mixes the solution simultaneously and effectively for an even reaction of chemicals. You can select the hotplate stirrer class basis the application. However, you must consider the following factors before purchasing hot plate stirrers.
- Capacity/Volume: One of the critical factors to consider is the sample's capacity or volume to be stirred. Typically, you can mix 0.4L to 20L. However, there are also hot plate stirrers that may heat up to 100L of the sample. Magnetic stirrers are great for up to 20L, and for stirring up to 100L, overhead stirrers would be a great choice.
2. Operating Range: The temperature range depends on the material of the top plate of the magnetic stirrer. For instance, the ceramic hot plate has magnificent chemical resistance and is ideal for working with corrosive chemicals. It also heats up quickly, offering high temperatures of up to 400°C-500°C. On the other hand, aluminum hot plate ranges from 300-400°C and have excellent thermal conductivity. They are using hot titanium plates to work with temperatures going up to 600°C.
3. Uniformity: Uniformity is also affected by the material of the hot plate used. Aluminum hot plates have a superior temperature uniformity of ±10°C depending on the size of the top container and temperature. On the other hand, porcelain top plates also offer temperature uniformity and good corrosion resistance. However, ceramic plates do not provide the same temperature uniformity over top plate surfaces as other top plate surfaces do.
4. Viscosity: Viscosity is the thickness of the fluid, or in other terms, it is the resistance of a liquid. It is also known as the friction of the molecules in a fluid. For high-viscosity solutions, it is recommended to get magnetic stirrers with higher magnetic coupling strength. It is a critical parameter to consider while purchasing a hot plate stirrer. Drive-magnet's shape and size, the stir bar's shape and size, the distance between the stir bar and drive magnet, the vessel shape and size, desired stir speed, and the solution's viscosity drive the effectiveness of the solution stir.
5. Stability & Precision: Basic analog hot plate stirrers suffice if precise control is not required for temperature control and stirring speed. However, digital hot plate stirrers will offer excellent accuracy and stability if temperature control and stirring speed are influential.
6. Environment: Working with stirrers means fumes are bound to emit. If the hot plate stirrers are not good quality, it may cause an explosion in the laboratory, and none of us want that. So ensure to get a good quality stirrer.
See overhead stirrers, analog hot plate stirrers, digital hot plate stirrers, ceramic plates, and other laboratory products on Canadian Lab Products Inc.