How It Works
A Soxhlet Extractor is used to remove a material from a solid. It is useful when removing materials that do not dissolve well in any solvent.
The Soxhlet extractor applies the solvent repeatedly to the solid until enough of the material dissolves.
The Soxhlet Extractor has three main sections:
A flask, an extraction chamber, and a condenser.
In this extraction process, the solvent inside the boiling flask is evaporated and re-condensed in the distillation column above. It then falls down onto the solid material requiring extraction.
The chamber containing the solid material is connected to the boiling flask below, by a syphoning mechanism which allows the chamber to fill to a point, at which it will empty its contents and start to fill again and the extracted compounds will accumulate in the boiling flask.
Equipment Needed
1000ml Soxhlet Extractor Apparatus - £60
1000ml Round Bottom Flask 24/40 or 24/29 - £15
1000ml Digital Stirring Heating Mantle - £110
1 x Size 24 Keck Clips - £3.15 for 10
50cm Lab Stand With 2 Clamps - £20
Small Submersible Water Pump 8mm Outlet - £3.50
5M 8mm Clear Silicone Pipe - £11
Filter media - Thimble filter or Cotton wool - £1
Total Cost of equipment around £225
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| 1000ml Soxhlet Extractor Apparatus | 1000ml Round Bottom Flask 24/40 | Condenser |
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| Soxhlet Extraction Chamber | 1000ml Digital Stirring Heating Mantle | 50cm Lab Stand With 2 Clamps |
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| 5M 8mm Clear Silicone Pipe | Submersible Water Pump | Size 24 Keck Clip |