 | |
| Other names | Rotovap |
|---|---|
| Uses | Solvent evaporation |
| Inventor | Lyman C. Craig |
A rotary evaporator[1] (rotovap) is a device used in chemical laboratories for the efficient and gentle removal of solvents from samples by evaporation. When referenced in the chemistry research literature, description of the use of this technique and equipment may include the phrase "rotary evaporator", though use is often rather signaled by other language (e.g., "the sample was evaporated under reduced pressure").
Rotary evaporators are also used in molecular cooking for the preparation of distillates and extracts.
A simple rotary evaporator system was invented by Lyman C. Craig.[2] It was first commercialized by the Swiss company Büchi in 1957.[3] The device separates substances with different boiling points, and greatly simplifies work in chemistry laboratories. In research the most common size accommodates round-bottom flasks of a few liters, whereas large scale (e.g., 20L-50L) versions are used in pilot plants in commercial chemical operations.[citation needed]
- ^ Harwood, Laurence M.; Moody, Christopher J. (1989). Experimental organic chemistry: Principles and Practice (Illustrated ed.). Blackwell Scientific Publications. pp. 47–51. ISBN 978-0-632-02017-1.
- ^ Craig, L. C.; Gregory, J. D.; Hausmann, W. (1950). "Versatile laboratory concentration device". Anal. Chem. 22 (11): 1462. doi:10.1021/ac60047a601.
- ^ "Instruments: Evaporation". BUCHI Corporation. Retrieved January 10, 2023.