Lab Equipment: Rotary Evaporator or "Rotovap"

In this video we look at the Rotary Evaporator or "Rotovap" for quickly evaporating solvents from products under gentle heating and vacuum. These are used in professional labs for their high speed. But due to their high expense, amateurs almost never encounter them.
This particular unit was very graciously gifted by GWSI labs: www.gwsilabs.com/
The vacuum is provided by powerful aspirator vacuum pump and the concept is explored in our own video on an amateur version of the same system: • Lab Equipment: Aspirat...
Donate to NurdRage!
Through Patreon (preferred): / nurdrage
Through KZbin Memberships: / @nurdrage
Twitter: / nurdrage
Reddit: / nurdrage
Instagram: / nurdrageyoutube

[@NurdRage]

If anyone has a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer gathering dust let me know.

[@eshwarseplay]

😅

[@Guru_1092]

I MIGHT know a guy.

[@highlander723]

ask Nile red He might have a hookup because I know he has one

[@ryandoyle3413]

Benchtop or the larger ones with higher resolution?

[@farhanaahmad408]

😂make one yourself

[@FG-Supercharged]

Props to GWSI Labs, an awesome gift... They picked a worthy recipient!

[@jasondean88888]

I've used aqua regia a handful of times, only at small scales to display in classes for gold recovery. To hear you casually mention it as a cleaning agent...it makes sense, but it hurt my brain. I need more chemistry in my life. I keep telling my nieces and nephews who love fantasy stories: "Do you really want magic in the real world? Chemistry is as close as you'll get."

[@EddieTheH]

The word Chemistry is actually derived from an old word for magic. It literally is the science of magic!

[@RLP92]

I worked in the R&D Department of a pharmaceutical company and we used the "feed through line" as a way to use the vacuum to pump in fresh material when product concentrations were low and volumes were high. This way you don't have to disable vacuum every time to refill the flask. Just wanted to tell this as an additional function of this part. I also wanted to let you know that i was perfectly able to disassemble, deep clean and reassemble this as a intern undergraduate ;)

[@Tonyneg]

Also he needs to reverse spin the glass coupling to tighten down the flask and metal ring. And use vacuum grease lol

[@defenestrated23]

I've always wanted to design and build an open-source rotovap. They aren't THAT complex. The rotary joint is the hard part. Upvote if you'd like to see a video about that.

[@user-ru5be4iy9t]

If you use glassware with wheaton clear seal joints the friction of the rotating joint will be less than ground joints and you are likely not going to get ground glass contamination in your product if any.

[@user-ru5be4iy9t]

If you use glassware with wheaton style clear seal joints, you are going to have much less friction than ground joints.

[@WarblyWark]

Does this mean you'll be back more frequently? (Please?) Also, an idea: capsaicin extraction? (the condensing portion?) It would work well for this machine and I think it might be a good way to break it in without messing it up too much (IDK for sure though, obviously 😅)

[@timecode37]

Keep in mind that the cover serves more than just to limit evaporative losses; it moreso is for protecting the lab and the chemist from shards of glass when a flask implodes due to the low pressure. It can happen to flasks that look perfectly fine, but because there is a very fine hairline crack which is very hard to see the flask cant withstand the pressure difference (delta p for all diving accident enthusiasts). Always wear glasses when using vacuum!

[@Tonyneg]

Most modern borosilicate glass will usually just crack and break as chunks, usually around the glass welds on joints like the 24/40 adapter. It’s not commonly used, but tempered glass is what will implode much more violently.

[@Tonyneg]

Borosilicate glass, you’ll hear a “tink” sound and then the hissing sound of air being pulled through the crack.

[@timecode37]

@@Tonyneg oh, i always feared that it would just implode and fly around the room, good to know!

[@covodex516]

I'm glad you're getting to enjoy to daily drive a rotovap! I'm one of these lab techs you were talking about in your introduction, who rely on rotovaps daily for their lab scale production processes; we're making ruthenium- and biotin-labelled peptides which are used as analysis reagents for the elecsys diagnostic system. A neat tip about the gas-feedthrough tube you were talking about at 11:28 - you can also use it to add more solution to be evaporated, if you're working with big batches. Just attach tubing you're dropping into your bulk container to the vent valve, this way you can open the valve every now and then a little and the vacuum sucks additional solution into your distilling flask. Have fun with your new tool; I'm excited to see it included in your upcoming videos.

[@NurdRage]

Wow! i'm learning new stuff everyday, i never thought to use the gas feed through tube to also feed product into rotovap. Most of the labs i worked in had broken/missing tubes so it wouldn't have worked, so i never thought of it. This is why i love posting these equipment videos, you guys teach me new things!

[@uncleal]

Tygon tubing leaches plasticizer (was phthalate; there's some kind of grotesque citrate coming up) into a solvent stream. See what you can do with fluorinated polymer tubing..

[@covodex516]

@@uncleal Maybe I should've added - a colleague who regularly did this used tubing from a HPLC system.

[@NormReitzel]

Yeah, my Buchi RotoVap-T has a feed tube that goes all the way through into the rotating flask. also. They're hard to find on the surplus market and easily broken.

[@NormReitzel]

@@uncleal FEP works very well.

[@aSCrouton]

Maybe its just me, but seeing how a chemist's tools work is just as interesting as seeing the actual chemistry done. What a fascinating video!

[@igotes]

Absolutely. I'm not a professional chemist and I've never studied it at degree level, but I love the gear. The actual chemistry goes way over my head, but I know just about enough not to be dangerous. It's mostly just adding acids and/or bases to things, then filtering or distilling. Obviously there's more to it than that, but that's for the proper chemists to do.

[@kid_missive]

@@igotes The workup is what you are describing. So yeah, you have [acidifactions/basifications/extractions/recrystallizations/distillations/filtrations/dryings] sandwiching each of the "real" synthesis steps, where some specific reaction might be utilized. BUT those "real" reactions are super challenging to even comprehend for many people. Even among chemists with degrees, lots of us just don't go there in our professional careers because there are many other things to specialize in other than synthesis.

[@hamaljay]

I like how the company that gifted you that equipment was really inspiring you to make more videos. Well played.

[@estanislaukalashnikov2306]

Dude, what a treat. And the fact that it's a gift (not something exchanged for promotion) shows that the lab feels confident enough with its product to know that 1) you'd review it anyway, and 2) the review would be positive. Both already hint that it's a quality product.

[@Alloran]

Props to that company, you're channel is a bastion for introducing people to some nifty chemistry done in a competent manner at an accessible level I'm glad to see you getting some love.

[@dimitar4y]

From my engineering experience, I can tell the most expensive part of this aparatus is that chemical resistant air-tight rotary seal. I also can understand how just for probably 30% extra cost they added the rest of the nice features, like cast iron base, lift motors, etc as they are relatively inexpensive :p

[@adamfuhrman]

I used to use dichloromethane and cyclohexane with our rotovap while at college for my undergrad work. We would then take the mixture and separate the dcm and cyclohexane in a recycler. It was pretty fun work.

[@jackhydrazine1376]

I looked at prices for a rotary evaporator and see that prices run anywhere from $1,000USD to around $12,000USD. Thanks, GWSI Labs!

[@unpronouncable2442]

3:36 the "nioh nioh nioh" laugh sends me

[@miraclo3]

i am always glad to see your videos! you are what got me into chemistry as a kid.

[@science_and_anonymous]

ROTO-vaps truly are one of my favorite pieces of lab equipment and were one of the most life-changing realizations I had about how much more convenient it was to synthesize products in a professional lab than a home lab.

[@michaell4990]

It's a hint to get you to make more videos. Welcome back!

[@Chemiolis]

This video summoned me, dear Chemistry gods please manifest me a rotovap.

[@hgbugalou]

I'm so happy companies realize gifts like this are nothing but good for them as it inspires young people to get into chemistry as well as getting their product out there to professionals that watch this content.

[@jadentonkin466]

We all love it when NurdRage brags about his toys

[@definetlynotacomment1184]

The OG chemtuber has returned! I am really stoked to see what kind of projects you will do with this thing. Really cool from GWSI Labs to git you that. Have a nice day.

[@seanb3516]

Nurd: Thanks for gifting the rotovap! :D GWSI: It was only for review...you're supposed to....damn.

[@OldShatterham]

getting flashbacks from undergrad classes... as the rotovaps were only used for teaching, most of the devices had algae growing in the condenser and unknown, likely unpleasant substances splattered over the outside.

[@powertechgrows6093]

Thats so awesome somebody just sent you a rotovap. I'd so love to have one, but I'll never get close to having that kind of spare money. Expensive hobby

[@gordonauld5945]

It's always nice to be recisnized and receive an appropriate gift that can make things nicer.

[@kakaboom55]

11 mins released, gotta click this missed this old channel

[@brokens1097]

My unconscious basis is nothing but positively shocked & expecting an add or catch. Great to hear of a good deed that truly pays forward. Congrats

[@SodiumInteresting]

Good to see a new nurdrage video. Rotovaps are so expensive, I've thought of trying to build a basic one. Those lab suction machines are good, I found one once and used it for a long time until it lost it's suction

[@chrisharvie-smith486]

It does look like the small lid for the vacuum pump water should go the other way up though !

[@SodiumInteresting]

@@Peaches.Gonsalez yes he's done some useful work for the benefit of home chemists

[@Tonyneg]

Chinese rotos are very cheap these days, You can get a 5L with everything needed for $800-1200. Always get a 5L over a 2L, 2L hot baths can only do a 3L flask at most.

[@SodiumInteresting]

@@Tonyneg thing is it's only a convenience for labs where time is money. You can achieve the same things with normal vacuum glassware

[@jaro6985]

That demonstration of "bumping" was wild. 🤯

[@leeknoz935]

I cant believe you got that gifted....so lucky. I have that vacuum pump, will be cool to see it in action

[@jimurrata6785]

Excited to see you back! That's a great gift. Thank you Great Wall. The OSB draft hood has a definite Doug's Lab vibe to it. 🤔

[@daltonsoutherland8836]

Been watching you for over 10 years bro and I feel like you're channel is the O.G of chemistry KZbin channels keep em coming bro.

[@12time12]

Damn. Missed you man.

[@NormReitzel]

Your video inspired me to sort through my lab boxes of lab equipment after my last move, and I retrieved and reassembled my Buchi Rotovap-R after five years. I assembled it by buying pieces on surplus market over a period of eight years, and now I have a fully operational unit - no lift, just lab jack under the water bath. My water bath is a 4L aluminium ether bottle, cut in half ( got a big wide-mouth funnel out of it, too!) you aren't the only underfunded chemist out there. My PhD was in terpene synthesis - emphasis on steroids. Good luck to you, and I really appreciate all the good work - especially the "failures" - saves me those months of work!!! I wish there was a "Journal of failed Research."

[@garrysekelli6776]

Woah I got a nurdrage notification. Haven't seen this dude post in like 5 years.

[@garrysekelli6776]

I'm definitely going to buy a rotovap.

[@ReaperUnreal]

Oh wow, I've always wanted to see how these work. I briefly saw one when I visited a university lab a long time ago, but didn't really know what I was looking at.

[@user-qq8gy5hc2g]

A really great video, as always You can also use the "gas inlet" as a way to put more product into the boiling flask. Also, I think it would be more optimal to put the vacuum line on top, so in case of a bumping, there would be a smaller chance of the vacuum pump sucking in the product. You can also clean your rotavap by replacing the recieving flash with a really small one, filling the boiling flash with a solvent of you choice and letting the solvent drip back into the boiling flask after it fills up the revieving flask.

[@NurdRage]

oh wow, i never thought of using the gas inlet to feed in more product. Then again i never worked on that scale to need it, but it seems so obvious! As for the vacuum line position, it can't be seen, but the there is tube that actually goes up the middle of the condenser to feed the vacuum at the top and at the center. The glassblower even took the time to make the hole aim to the side so it's VERY hard for bumped solvent to get sucked in. This was a well-designed piece of equipment.

[@user-qq8gy5hc2g]

@@NurdRage Oooooh, that makes a lot of sense. Thank you for the clarification! (Nurdrage replied to my comment, my life is complete now.)

[@MattBaker1965]

I love the "Take the back off to have a look" attitude, a true nerd like myself. :)

[@SharpAssKnittingNeedles]

So glad to see a new video from you! And what an amazing gift! You truly deserve it, and looking forward to what you'll do with it!

[@Thefrostycannibal]

A nurdrage video!?!? I think this is a sign that the world might have a chance.

[@robertnichols2283]

Awesome A new world of cool experiments has opened up I’m looking forward to seeing what you can do now 😊

[@flyingshards595]

Great to watch your video! Always appreciate your efforts and the excellent production!

[@johncapps9364]

I love this channel I’m always learning new things

[@JCtheMusicMan_]

I am excited to see what products you will be distilling. I’m sure you can find some amateur chemistry projects that are still useful. You can just explain that we don’t have to use a rotovap but you did because you have it and it saved you time 😁😎

[@DnD_Dwarf]

You can clean a condenser quickly if you use a 2 necked round bottom flask. Connect one neck and cover the other with your hand. Build up the pressure and then you can shoot a cleaning solvent like acetone up into it, although it might not reach the top of a large condenser. Also, you can stop the condser from getting contaminated by using a glass trap, not sure how much they cost but very worth getting a g good one.

[@user-qq8gy5hc2g]

Oh no, I once heard of someone breaking the condenser this way (by depressurising it too quickly) Don't do that please, just reflux some acetone

[@bobwerner6512]

Great to see you are still doing stuff

[@JaredBrewerAerospace]

@13:40 Oh you got me! Lol. I had to double back, stare into my furrowed brow, carry the one and... doh!

[@matel9985]

It's a reward for the inspiration you bring to your field

[@jackingwads7513]

Thanks for the overview of this equipment

[@918273645o546372819]

Having worked with a rotovap for mushroom polysaccharide extraction, I'm so happy for you! This is an amazing gift, and you're definitely a trustworthy source in terms of putting this baby to good use!

[@hardencryption]

Glad to see you´re still active :D

[@PhillyFail]

Hey you're actually making it back into my KZbin feed it's been a long time since I watched your videos

[@miklov]

Fascinating. Thank you for the detailed overview!

[@shtut98]

I started watching you nearly 13 years ago, excited to see a newer video

[@ZoruaZorroark]

never knew such a piece of equipment existed, now i wonder what other kind of reactions you will share with us involving this machine

[@scrotiemcboogerballs1981]

Great to see you posting a video and that’s awesome they gave you that with no strings attached always a great video thanks for sharing

[@SomeGuyInSandy]

Wow, that's a great gift! I can't wait to see what you do with it!

[@KulKlas]

We all miss you bro! 🙌🏻

[@MadScientist267]

Rage! Good to see another video from you man! Keep em coming!

[@tnwnl]

Not a professional here but I have seen a lot of rotavaps in labs of the local university. So this video definitely brings me back to my lab days 🙂

[@ryandoyle3413]

One of my favorite lab tools! Helps make my tannin extracts not take forever to concentrate down

[@geekswithfeet9137]

Tannins huh? This is my “I believe you face” 😅

[@toine512fr]

The condenser is beautiful!

[@scorpsamus]

Like a kid on Christmas. Thats a slick piece of kit, congrats!

[@demandred1957]

Nice! Welcome back old friend!

[@Texsoroban]

Good to see you again Nurd. I've missed ya!

[@aga5897]

Awesome ! Wonderful of GWS to gift you a RotoVap ! I expect we'll see you Vap-ing lots of Roto-s in the near future ;)

[@jimsvideos7201]

So that's how those things work. Thank you for the lesson.

[@-Kerstin]

I hope I get to see many videos of you using it!

[@PhillipChalabi]

Very fun, I can't wait to see what you get up to with this gear!

[@Anamnesia]

Nice! Kudos to the company for gifting... 👍👌✌️💯

[@luther99flame]

this is such a cool video, congrats on your new piece of equipment. :)

[@eshwarseplay]

Nice to see you again.

[@David-fh6rr]

Have you heard about the 60-40-20 rule? Heat the water-bath to 60°C, match the preassure to a boiling point of 40°C and cool the condesnser with water at 20°C.

[@adrianpip2000]

A few comments from someone who works in a non-GMP academic organic chemistry lab. 1) We never grease the joint that the flask connects to (don't want grease in your NMR spectra); 2) We always use a bump trap between the flask and the rotavap; 3) The simplest way to do a routine rough cleaning is by using a two-necked RBF filled with acetone, where you apply vacuum while covering the extra neck and then let air in to make the solvent "swoosh" up into the condenser, and repeat a few times. 4) The Büchi 20/40/60 rule is useful for knowing approximately which settings to use for which solvents. Obviously everyone and every lab will have their own preferences, so I'm not saying this is how it "should" be done.

[@jamessshep6106]

Welcome back ! Love the video

[@TheChipmunk2008]

that is a hugely awesome thing for that company to do, kudos....

[@mrlucasa223]

Thank you so much ❤ This channel is the BEST!

[@Timerballs]

I'm not sure I caught it but were you able to mention how the products are recovered from the flask after evaporation? Sometimes the products stick and we're told different things to do.

[@me0101001000]

This thing is a godsend for me with my work.

[@donaldhoot7741]

Hi again Nurd! Great video!

[@josephmoore4764]

Got to use one of these in my organic chemistry lab, really neat piece of equipment!

[@cooperastro2690]

A new video! Hell yeah man thanks for the video and have fun with the new rotovap 🙂

[@joshmlp]

great to see a new video!

[@chromatogiraffery3104]

Rotovap cleaning hack: While assembled, put a 2-necked flask with solvent (acetone) on, turn on the vacuum, and put your hand over the flasks other neck. Once the vacuum gets strong, remove your hand quickly, and watch as the solvent sprays through the entire rotovap and into the solvent receiver flask. Doing that a few times is usually as much cleaning as is needed!

[@atmk]

The "gas feed though tube" is also useful for loading additional solution for evaporating with out stooping the setup so larger volumes can be recovered/concentrated

[@LesNewell]

If you need a cheap chiller have a chat with a pub to see if they have a spare drinks chiller. Many drinks chillers are basically a refrigerator hooked up to a water bath. The drinks pass through a stainless coil in the water. They won't generally go below freezing but they get pretty close, especially if you play with the thermostat.

[@maxamuscrasious3047]

I used one that looked quite similar to the model you received and it worked just as well if not better than the 2nd hand buchi that cost just as much and was missing parts for the controller

[@lilyp4369]

omg this is insane, getting a complete rotovap???? i'm so incredibly jealous. rotovaps save so much time and are just a joy to use lmao

[@MoleculedMan]

Congrats on getting your own Rotovap! Another cool way to use it is in crystallizations. 😍 Tumbling and cooling slowly (just by turning off the heating of the rotovap bath) seem to greatly benefit crystal growth, at least in my experience as a natural product chemist. Good vid as always. Take care!

[@JehuMcSpooran]

Ooh, I suppose you could use that feed tube to hold a seed crystal suspended in the solution. Heck, you could probably make an adapter to sit on the end, holding the seed crystal and still allow you to add solution to the flask.

[@Angel_the_Bunny]

I am so happy for you!

[@apsleyhigh]

loove this kinda vid, very interesting

[@dizzious]

I remember reading chem Usenet posts as a teen, where rotovaps were mentioned as a "holy grail" type piece of equipment.

[@TestyCool]

Wow I would have never seen this bit of tech of not for this channel. Thanks. If you could go in more detail as to how it spins and keep the vacuum though that would be awesome.

[@TheBlackKnightmare]

how amusing... i was just on your channel yesterday lamenting the lack of content from my favorite science based youtube channel.... and tada

[@kid_missive]

At this one place I worked we had a rotavap that took 10L flasks (and like a 50L solvent receivng flask). The condenser was just insane... normal diameter coils but just way more layers of them wrapped around one another, like 4 or 5 layers of them. Looked like a weird brain. With hexanes at full tilt the flow of condensing solvent was like turning on a tap!

[@defenestrated23]

The gas feed-in tube can also be used to suck in product solution in a semi-continuous way so you can evaporate larger batches than your flask.

[@seanb3516]

Constant Temperature Chiller Units typically work by running the refrigeration full blast while pulsing the heating coils to balance the temperature. By way of Putting the cooling and heating systems fighting against each other the unit offers exquisite control of the final temperature.

[@DataLog]

Rotovap is an extremely useful device :)