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Glovebox Workstations

Ultimate control of the environment in terms of atmosphere and temperature is crucial for cutting edge research in experimental physics and material science. Important sample preparation tasks such as plunge freezing and mounting of the raw sample onto a sample carrier need to be done inside an inert gas glovebox in order to avoid corrosion or other unwanted alterations of the sample.

 

Once the sample is at cryogenic temperature and mounted to a sample carrier, the speciment needs to be transported to analytical instruments ideally under very good vacuum conditions while maintaining sufficiently low temperature.


Other general purpose and customised glovebox are also available.

Key Principles of a Glovebox

1. Isolation
Gloveboxes are typically constructed using materials that are impermeable to moisture and oxygen, such as stainless steel or acrylic. They are sealed to prevent the ingress of air and moisture from the outside.

4. Inert Gas Purge
Gloveboxes are often filled with an inert gas, such as nitrogen or argon, to displace oxygen and moisture. This further helps in maintaining the desired atmosphere inside the box.

2. Controlled Atmosphere
The glovebox environment is carefully controlled to maintain specific conditions, such as low oxygen levels (usually below 1 ppm), low moisture levels, and, in some cases, controlled temperature. This controlled atmosphere helps protect the materials or experiments inside from degradation or contamination.

5. Antechamber of Transfer Port
To introduce or remove materials from the glovebox without compromising the controlled environment, gloveboxes may include antechambers or transfer ports. These mechanisms allow for the transfer of materials in and out of the glovebox while maintaining isolation.

3. Gloves
The built-in gloves attached to the front panel allows operators to reach inside the box without exposing its contents to the external environment. These gloves are typically made of chemically resistant materials to the substances being handled inside the glovebox.

6. Filtration and Monitoring
Gloveboxes may incorporate filters to remove impurities from the incoming gas supply and monitoring systems to continuously assess and control the internal atmosphere, including oxygen and moisture levels.

 

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