Flame Polishing
Flame Polishing - Related Videos
07:27
Metal Flame Emission - Student Protocol
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2020
Source: Smaa Koraym at Johns Hopkins University, MD, USA Metal Flame Emission TestingExpand In this lab, you will excite the electrons of six metal chloride salts with heat from a flame and measure the wavelength of light emitted by the relaxing electrons. The emitted light is in the visible spectrum, so you will see different colored flames for the different metals. At the end of the lab, you will measure the emission spectrum of a sparkler and use the data you collected from the metal...
02:47
Metal Flame Emission - Concepts
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2020
Metal Flame Emission Flame testing is an analytical technique where a sample is placed in a flame, and the characteristic flame color is used to identify the substance. Each element has a characteristic light emission when placed into a flame, meaning each element produces a unique color. This phenomenon is used in fireworks displays, where the color of the fireworks corresponds to a specific characteristic of a metal. The emission of colored light from a burning sample is the direct result of...
02:05
Metal Flame Emission - Instructor Prep
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2020
Source: Smaa Koraym at Johns Hopkins University, MD, USA Lab Preparation for Metal Flame Emission TestingExpand Here, we show the laboratory preparation for 10 students working in groups of 5, with some excess. Please adjust quantities as needed. Put on a lab coat, safety glasses, and nitrile gloves. Barium, copper, and strontium require special disposal, so place an appropriate waste container and a wash bottle of deionized water in the waste hood. Prepare a...
09:22
Gas Chromatography (GC) with Flame-Ionization Detection
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2023
Source: Laboratory of Dr. B. Jill Venton - University of Virginia Gas chromatography (GC) is used to separate and detect small molecular weight compounds in the gas phase. The sample is either a gas or a liquid that is vaporized in the injection port. Typically, the compounds analyzed are less than 1,000 Da, because it is difficult to vaporize larger compounds. GC is popular for environmental monitoring and industrial applications because it is very reliable and can be run nearly continuously.
05:12
Pressure-polishing Pipettes for Improved Patch-clamp Recording
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Cited by 13 •
2008
This is a guide to modifying the shape of glass micropipettes. Specifically, by using heat and air pressure the taper is widened without increasing the tip opening, leading to lower pipette resistance. This is critical to obtain low noise recordings of small cells but is useful in many applications.
FAQs
A thin outer layer softens during controlled heating, allowing surface tension to redistribute the softened material. As the surface cools, this process reduces microscopic ridges, small chips, and other irregularities. The result is a smoother surface rather than a mechanically abraded one, which is especially useful when small dimensional features must remain usable for biological experiments.
These variables determine how much of the material softens and how precisely its shape is retained. Excessive temperature, prolonged exposure, or an unsuitable flame distance can deform a micropipette or tip, change its opening dimensions, and compromise performance. Careful control therefore balances surface refinement against preservation of the component’s intended geometry.
Polishing can produce cleaner and more consistent openings by reducing roughness and small edge defects. Those improvements matter when a glass micropipette, capillary, or microelectrode must interact with cells or handle very small volumes. An inadequately controlled process, however, may alter the opening instead of improving it, so smoothness must be assessed together with dimensional consistency.
The technique applies primarily to glass and to selected thermoplastic materials, provided their surfaces respond appropriately to controlled flame heating. In the biological context described here, glass components are particularly important because micropipettes, capillaries, and microelectrodes depend on refined surfaces and openings. The material’s response to heat determines whether the process improves or damages the component.
The component is first positioned so its relevant surface or opening can be exposed briefly to a controlled flame. Heating must remain localized and carefully timed, allowing only a thin outer layer to soften. After exposure, the material cools and the refined geometry is checked, with attention to deformation or unwanted changes in tip dimensions.
Researchers may use it when cell manipulation or microinjection requires a cleaner, more consistent opening than the unfinished component provides. Refining the edge can support more controlled interaction with cells and small biological samples. The process is useful only when its heat exposure is controlled closely enough to preserve the opening dimensions needed for the intended experiment.
In electrophysiology, researchers use refined glass microelectrodes to obtain cleaner, more consistent working ends. The polished surface can reduce irregularities that might interfere with handling or interaction with cells, while controlled heating helps preserve the electrode’s intended dimensions. If heating is excessive, deformation may compromise experimental performance, making process control central to reliable use.