TERMIUM Plus®

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SONICATOR [1 record]

Record 1 2012-01-16

English

Subject field(s)
  • Equipment (Chemistry)
DEF

An instrument for producing high-intensity ultrasound, consisting of a converter that transforms electrical energy into mechanical energy in the form of oscillation of piezoelectric transducers at a frequency of 20 kilohertz, and a titanium horn that focuses this oscillation and radiates energy into the liquid being treated through a tip.

CONT

Sonication is the act of applying sound (usually ultrasound) energy to agitate particles in a sample, for various purposes. In the laboratory, it is usually applied using an ultrasonic bath or an ultrasonic probe, colloquially known as a sonicator. ... Sonication can be used to speed dissolution, by breaking intermolecular interactions. ... In biological applications, sonication may be sufficient to disrupt or deactivate a biological material. ... Sonication is commonly used in nanotechnology for evenly dispersing nanoparticles in liquids. Sonication can also be used to initiate crystallisation processes and even control polymorphic crystallisations. ... Sonication is the mechanism used in ultrasonic cleaning; loosening particles adhering to surfaces. Outside the field of laboratory science, sonicating baths are used to clean objects such as spectacles and jewelry. Sonication is also used to extract microfossils from rock.

OBS

[Sonicator is also a trademark of] Qsonica. The Sonicator brand was originally produced by Heat Systems Ultrasonics in the 1970's. Heat Systems was re-named Misonix, Inc. in 1990. The Misonix Sonicator brand is now owned by Qsonica.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Équipement (Chimie)
DEF

Appareil utilisant l'énergie des ultrasons pour réaliser diverses opérations : désintégration, dispersion, homogénéisation, émulsion, etc.

CONT

Le sonicateur est utilisé, en chimie et en physique, pour désagréger un solide en suspension dans un liquide, disperser un liquide dans un autre, dépolymériser de grosses molécules et, en biologie, pour casser les membranes de cellules afin d'en extraire les constituants. L'énergie ultrasonore est transmise au milieu par une sonde mise en vibration par un cristal piézo-électrique excité par un courant haute fréquence.

CONT

Sonde ultrasonore. Le second système consiste à immerger l’émetteur dans la solution à traiter. On désigne souvent le système, soit sous le nom de sonde à ultrasons (sonotrode) lorsqu’il est immergé par-dessus (figure 16a), soit de cup-horn lorsqu’il est immergé par-dessous (figure 16b).

CONT

Le second appareillage est la sonde à ultrasons. À la différence du bac, elle permet une irradiation directe du milieu tout en générant des puissances acoustiques nettement supérieures (plus de 100 fois plus élevées). Cependant, son utilisation reste seulement adaptée au traitement de petits volumes de liquide et une attention particulière doit être portée à ce type de manipulation car l’échantillon peut subir une augmentation rapide de température.

Spanish

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