Air Sensitive Vacuum Distillation

Air Sensitive Vacuum Distillation Interview questions

  1. When Air Sensitive Vacuum Distillation used?
  2. Why perkin triangle distillation apparatus used?

Many Chemical compounds are air sensitive and high in boiling point, and decompose at Higher temperature

A simple vacuum distillation system as exemplified above can be used, whereby the vacuum is replaced with an inert gas after the distillation is complete.

Air-Sensitive Vacuum Distillation


However, this is a less satisfactory system if one desires to collect fractions under a reduced pressure.

To do this a "pig" adaptor can be added to the end of the condenser, or for better results or for very air sensitive compounds a Perkin triangle apparatus can be used.

Perkin triangle apparatus




The Perkin triangle, has means via a series of glass or Teflon taps to allows fractions to be isolated from the rest of the still, without the main body of the distillation being removed from either the vacuum or heat source, and thus can remain in a state of reflux.

To do this, the sample is first isolated from the vacuum by means of the taps, the vacuum over the sample is then replaced with an inert gas (such as nitrogen or argon) and can then be stoppered and removed.



A fresh collection vessel can then be added to the system, evacuated and linked back into the distillation system via the taps to collect a second fraction, and so on, until all fractions have been collected.

Thanks for reading - Air Sensitive Vacuum Distillation
Naitik Patel
Industrial Guide

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