Ampoule production

Although ampoules can be cheaply bought from pharmacies or online, sometimes you may not find the right size ampoule, which means you'll have to make ampoules yourself.

How to make ampoules

To make an ampoule, you will first need a glass tube, which can be either a simple glass tube open at one end, a test tube or a (broken) glass Pasteur pipette. A gas torch is required, make sure it's one that can reach very high temperatures (no cigarette lighter).

• First, clean the tube and then heat it all to remove any moisture (wear heat-resistant gloves);
• Heat one end of the tube until it melts;
• If you're using a glass pipette, heat its tip until it seals and make sure you rotate the tube to prevent the melt from deforming;
• If you're using a glass tube, heat one end of the tube until it starts to soften, then using pliers grab the end and slowly pull it away, until the end seals;

To seal something in an ampoule:

• For solids, place the solid in the tube, heat one end then pull it out using pliers and make sure it seals properly;
• For liquids, cool the lower part of the tube containing the liquid and heat the upper part using the gas torch, then pull it using pliers and make sure it seals properly;
• For gases, fill the tube with the gas, and if it's heavier than air, place the tube with the opening upwards, and if the gas is lighter than air, place it with the opening downwards;
• If your solid compound has a low melting point or decomposes when heated, use a long tube and made sure to hold the sealed ampoule upwards until it cools;
• Do NOT use water to cool the hot glass faster as it may crack;

Safety

Glass ampoules can crack during cooling if any defects appear during production.

References

Relevant Sciencemadness threads

• Ampoule construction!
• Ampoule from Glass Tubing
• Sealing ampoules
• Ampoules from Glass Tubing, for Small Samples or Miniature Element Collections
• who can make ampoules?
• How do I seal a glass ampoule in inert atmosphere?
• Ampoule sealing inside the glove box
• Ampoule sealing inside the glove box
• Practical Techniques for Preparing Ampoules with Large Lanthanide Samples
• Really neat to see a super pure sample...