Sciencemadness Discussion Board - Spectrophotometers

Spectrophotometers

Fleaker - 11-7-2009 at 10:32

I have some old but still functional (quite functional) spectrophotometers available.

Comes as a complete package in either case.
One is a liquid IR setup, the other is a UV-VIS with set of 4 matched quartz cuvettes and sample turet.

Just make an offer. I'm looking for 50-70 bucks for either unit, but some trades are welcome.

Photos if one wants...

[Edited on 11-7-2009 by Fleaker]

[Edited on 11-7-2009 by Fleaker]

Fleaker - 11-7-2009 at 10:34

As an aside, I'll only wait 5 days on these before they go to ebay.

chemrox - 11-7-2009 at 21:59

I want them both. p2p me and I'll send my address, ph# and email.

Fleaker - 12-7-2009 at 12:45

U2U sent.

Your equipment

astrosci - 13-7-2009 at 07:07

Have these been sold? I'm interested.

jamit - 5-3-2013 at 23:14

Someone just offered to sell me their spectrophotometer, its the one by
Bausch & Lomb Spectrometer 20. He's asking for 75.00.

I know its used to measure absorbency and reflection properties of material. But does it really have an useful function in a home lab. I know that part of the answer will depend on what you want to do with it... but does anyone have one of these unit
and have they been useful to you? If yes, what do you use your spectrophotometer for?

I don't want to pass on a great deal and the potential to expand into other aspect of chemistry that I have not yet explored.

thanks.

radagast - 6-3-2013 at 21:31

Quote: Originally posted by jamit

Someone just offered to sell me their spectrophotometer, its the one by
Bausch & Lomb Spectrometer 20. He's asking for 75.00.

I know its used to measure absorbency and reflection properties of material. But does it really have an useful function in a home lab. I know that part of the answer will depend on what you want to do with it... but does anyone have one of these unit
and have they been useful to you? If yes, what do you use your spectrophotometer for?

I don't want to pass on a great deal and the potential to expand into other aspect of chemistry that I have not yet explored.

thanks.

I don't have that unit, but spectrometers can be a lot of fun. I'm using a spectrometer spanning long-wave UV to near-IR to measure raman spectra arising from laser irradiation (see thread in the same forum).

With respect to just using a VIS spectrometer directly (and I assume that the Bausch & Lomb Spectrometer 20 only measures VIS wavelengths), you can probably measure the concentration of a substance in a solution, so long as the compound of interest absorbs strongly in the VIS range (say, KMNO4).

You can also do some crude qualitative purity measurements by measuring how clear a solution is. I'm not a big fan of this technique, but the patent literature sometimes uses the Hardy ALFA scale as a way to demonstrate the transparency and thus purity of that liquid. Granted, greater transparency does not always mean a liquid is purer, and vice versa, but it's a start.

Relatedly, in certain instances, you could do some crude reaction monitoring.

I suspect that if the spectrometer's resolution is high enough, you could use it to compare compounds. For instance (and I'm just guessing here), maybe Coke and Pepsi have different absorption spectra.

And, I know this isn't really a chemistry-related topic, but mineralogists seem to use VIS spectra to identify certain gems.

For pure bang for buck and ease of use, I think that an abbe refractometer and melting point apparatus are the most useful instruments for an amateur. But even if that spectrometer isn't so useful, it's a great introduction into more useful spectrographic methods, such as UV/VIS (used either as a standalone method, or in connection with HPLC) and IR characterization.

mayko - 7-3-2013 at 06:47

Quote: Originally posted by jamit

I know its used to measure absorbency and reflection properties of material. But does it really have an useful function in a home lab. I know that part of the answer will depend on what you want to do with it... but does anyone have one of these unit
and have they been useful to you? If yes, what do you use your spectrophotometer for?

I'd like to have a spectrophotometer, personally - they are such versatile instruments that I'm sure they could be useful to many lab rats.

One other example is that they determine pH quite crisply with an indicator. There are a lot more colorimetric tests you might look into - check out an aquarium or pool supply and you can get tests for all sorts of ions.

Spectronic 20+

jamit - 17-3-2013 at 02:49

Wondering if anyone has one of these spectronic 20+ and how useful it would be in a home lab? They use it in a chemistry lab at school but have now been discontinued.

Here's a picture of it. How reliable are these unit they sell on ebay?

bfesser - 17-3-2013 at 08:18

I don't have one, but have used one. They're great little machines. Replacement parts can readily be purchased online (eBay). They're very useful in a home lab, especially if you're doing any colorimetric analytical work.