Extraction Vessel Options

Media (Reagent) Bottle (Recommended)

Pros:

• Non-tapering body, so more emulsion-resistant than Erlenmeyer flasks

• Typically includes a very sturdy polypropylene GL45 cap offering chemical resistance to 140°C (180°C for the red caps) and secure sealing for safe shaking

• Typically made from  borosilicate 'type 1' pharmaceutical glass  (glass 'type' classifications) which has high thermal shock and hydrolytic stability Hydrolytic stability refers to the resistance to chemical attack from containing fluids, in our case, lye)

• Very sturdy, easy to grip

Cons:

• Cost (broadly comparable with equivalent-sized Erlenmeyer flask)

• Narrow neck opening (30mm on my own 2L bottle) means that funnels, or other work-around techniques might need to be used for filling with non-liquid substances

Household Storage Jar (regular soda lime glass)

Pros:

• Cheap & easily available

• Often have very wide neck openings

Cons:

• Minimal thermal shock resistance

• Minimal alkaline erosion resistance (my own developed unexpected cracks after a while)

• Don't normally have suitable/secure lids or a tapered top bit of the neck (handy for final pull pippetting)

Sturdy HDPE Household Container

High Density Polyethylene is a very common chemically-resistant plastic that is used for a vast range applications, including food-safe and drinking water.  There is much adverse rhetoric concerning general plastic use for extractions, but all of the chemicals for DpTek (including naphtha & heptane) are typically supplied in HDPE containers (sodium hydroxide is never supplied/stored commercially in glass owing to alkaline corrosion), and may already have been stored for months or years like this prior to delivery.

Pros:

• Cost & availability

• Shatter-proof, safer in some environments

• Little or no reaction with extraction chemicals (inc Sodium Hydroxide) at room temperature (see HDPE Chemical Resistance Guide) 

• Reliable shake-safe lids often available

Cons:

• Typically non-transparent, which makes all processes more difficult

• Limited heat resistance (starts to soften at 70°C, OK to 120°C for short periods)

https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/plastics-by-the-numbers/ 

Sturdy HDPE Household Container

High Density Polyethylene is a very common chemically-resistant plastic that is used for a vast range applications, including food-safe and drinking water.  There is much adverse rhetoric concerning general plastic use for extractions, but all of the chemicals for DpTek (including naphtha & heptane) are typically supplied in HDPE containers (sodium hydroxide is never supplied/stored commercially in glass owing to alkaline corrosion), and may already have been stored for months or years like this prior to delivery.

Pros:

• Cost & availability

• Shatter-proof, safer in some environments

• Little or no reaction with extraction chemicals (inc Sodium Hydroxide) at room temperature (see HDPE Chemical Resistance Guide) 

• Reliable shake-safe lids often available

Cons:

• Typically non-transparent, which makes all processes more difficult

• Limited heat resistance (starts to soften at 70°C, OK to 120°C for short periods)

https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/plastics-by-the-numbers/ 

soda lime glass  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Container_glass 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-density_polyethylene#Properties 

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00911336#:~:text=Sodium%20hydroxide%20corrodes%20silicate%20glasses,in%20presence%20of%20sodium%20ions 

https://www.pharmapproach.com/glass-containers-for-pharmaceutical-use/ 

https://www.apg-pharma.com/knowledge/glass/glass-types 

https://doublewalltank.com/sodium-hydroxide-tank.htm