Table of Contents
Why is quartz cuvette preferred over glass cuvette?
Thermal Properties – A quartz material has a much higher melting point than glass. Chemical Compatibility – The chemical structure of quartz is stronger than glass making it able to handle a bigger range of chemicals that would melt or damage a glass cuvette.
When should you use a quartz cuvette?
If wavelengths in the UV-range, below approximately 300 nm, are employed, cuvettes made from quartz glass, or a special type of plastic, which provide sufficient transparency in this range, must be used (figure 2).
Why must quartz and not plastic cuvettes be used to determine the absorbance of your samples at 260 nm and 280 nm?
you cannot use plastic cuvettes in UV region. You will experience too much fluctuation of absorbance. Rather used quartz cuvettes, because are stable in that range.
Why is plastic cuvette not suitable for UV?
I hope this is some kind fo help for you. Generally plastic cuvettes strongly absorb UV, which is why they cannot be used in spectroscopy in the UV range. Readings with UV light are generally done with quartz cuvettes, which show little UV absorbance. They are expensive, however, and certainly not disposable.
What is quartz cuvette?
Cuvettes are small rectangular glass or quartz containers. They are often designed so that the light beam travels a distance of 1 cm through the contents, but the path length can vary from 1 or 2 mm all the way up to 10 cm. The sample cell contains a solution of the substance you are testing, usually very dilute.
What is the difference between glass and quartz?
As an amorphous substance, glass has a random molecular structure, while quartz has a symmetrical molecular structure. Quartz can be subject to greater temperature and pressure as compared to glass. Both quartz and glass are utilized for electrical purposes; glass is an insulator, while quartz is a conductor.
Why it is important for you to ensure that you use the same cuvette and line up the cuvette with the same orientation for each trial for the entire experiment?
. You will notice that the cuvette has a vertical white line on it; make sure that line is aligned with the notch or groove on the rim of the sample container. This keeps the cuvette in the same orientation every time, so any imperfections in the glass will not affect your results. Close the sample cover.
Can cuvettes used for visible spectrophotometry be made of plastic?
While cuvettes can be made of various materials, plastic cuvettes have the advantage of being less expensive and disposable and are often used in fast spectroscopic assays. Plastic cuvettes are used in the visible range for colorimetric assays and the UV range for DNA, RNA, and protein analysis.
What is a quartz cuvette?
Why quartz does not absorb UV light?
Ultraviolet light has shorter wavelength than visible light, although ultraviolet waves are invisible to human eyes. If we use glass in place of quartz then glass will absorb ultraviolet rays while quartz does not. Ultraviolet radiant has a low power of penetration, hence it directly affects the human body as well.
How are quartz cuvettes made?
Quartz is heated to a high temperature and then adhered together by applying pressure. UV quartz cuvettes made in such method have much stronger chemical resistance and better life time than cuvettes made in other way such as being glued together.
Why is quartz useful?
Quartz is important for the Critical Zone because of its composition and distribution. Quartz is the second most common mineral in the Earth’s crust, right after feldspars. Because quartz is resistant to weathering, it often is one of the last minerals to dissolve.