I am planning to spray a solution composed of hazardous chemicals for thin film growth. Is there any product or method for an enclosure to be used in a fume hood to prevent aerosols from spreading around the fume hood and contamination. Thanks.
HI Muhammed,
I did spray hazardous chemicals a lot so I hope my experience would be helpful for you. The answer to your question is determined by the toxicity of the materials and the amount of solution that you want to spray. Generally, you may need to build a small chamber if you do not want to contaminate your fume hood. Just as you said, aerosols spread around and coat all the surroundings. You can use a plastic box to cover your spray system and connect it to an exhaust line to make sure volatile and toxic materials can be pump out.
The link is a picture of a spay system I built.
http://www.utoledo.edu/research/pvic/images/Song_deposition2.jpg
Hi Zhaoning,
Thank you much for your reply. My solution is composed of low molarity (0.1M) of Ammonium fluoride, Tin chloride in methanol/water or only water. Both solutions and outgasses of pyrolysis reaction are hazardous/toxic. Did you buy the plastic box from some retailer or get it custom made? I was planning to use a lab stand that firmly hangs an atomizer which sprays onto a heated substrate as my setup. The lab manager is worried about contamination of fume hood although my atomizers is very directional (15 degrees of spray angle). I was thinking about putting a hollow box made of glass or plastic around my setup that will only allow diffusion of gas/aerosol toward top where exhaust is located. Do you think I really need to make a sealed chamber that connects to exhaust? or could my approach solve the issue?
Your spray system looks solid. Thanks for the photo.
Hi Muhammed,
I have the sealed box because I use highly toxic hydrazine solution. We also have a spray system for metal oxides, which is open to ambient. The aqueous precursor solution for FTO that you are going to use is relatively benign and does not need a sealed chamber. However, I think your lab manager's worry is reasonable. It is probably not a good idea to leave it open in the fume hood. Your approach is OK. You can buy some plastic sheets and use epoxy to glue them into a box like a storage chamber with a door.Then you can set up your atomizer/lab stand/heater inside the box, and keep it in the fume hood.
When you start to spray, clean the box routinely, because you will find it gets dirty really quick. Even though your atomizers is very directional, aerosols go everywhere.
Zhaoning
- Badges
- Science topic