Heating block systems support synthesis research

Monash University’s School of Chemistry has invested in a range of Asynt DrySyn Multi heating block systems to support its groundbreaking research in photovoltaics, water splitting and nanoimaging.

Photovoltaic research being undertaken by Professor Leone Spiccia and his group is mainly focused on finding new electrolytes and redox couples for dye-sensitised solar cells and optimising other parameters for the cell assembly. The water-splitting team is working on artificial photosynthesis, a concept to convert solar energy into a storable form of energy by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. The nanoimaging team is pursuing multidisciplinary projects to design, prepare and characterise functionalised nanomaterials intended for application including multimodal imaging, as well as therapeutic and diagnostic agents for early detection and treatment of cancer.

Professor Leone Spiccia.

Professor Spiccia explained, “As part of this research we synthesise nanoparticles based on lanthanides, for which we must reach high temperatures (>300°C).

“For this work, we need to have precise fine control of both the final temperature and the heating speed together with a good heat transfer to obtain good-quality particles with a narrow size distribution,” Professor Spiccia continued.

Oil bath systems are traditionally used for all general syntheses, but according to Professor Spiccia, “We could not use an oil bath because of the high temperatures and heating mantles cannot provide the control we needed for the synthesis.

“After a lengthy evaluation process, we decided to switch to DrySyn heating block systems as they are inherently safer to use than heated oil baths, avoiding the risk of oil spillage that can lead to burns when hot or may cause someone to slip over.”

DrySyn Multi on a stirring hotplate.

The Asynt DrySyn Multi provides a safe and convenient way to perform precisely controlled heated reactions in parallel. It converts any standard hotplate stirrer into a reaction block accommodating three flasks or up to 12 reactions in tubes or vials. Made of chemically resistant, anodised aluminium, the heating blocks offer good heating performance to over 300°C and can heat a reaction flask 25% faster than an oil bath.

“DrySyn has been really important to us to achieve good research results,” Professor Spiccia concluded.