| : Büchi specializes in technologies for rotary | | | | rotary evaporator found in labs worldwide. So popular |
| evaporation and near infrared spectroscopy for | | | | in fact, scientists often even refer to this type of |
| research laboratories around the world. These are a | | | | instrument as a rotavap, regardless of brand. |
| couple of funny-sounding words that have a serious | | | | While difficult to pronounce, the concept of near |
| impact in our everyday lives. | | | | infrared spectroscopy is fairly simple. Radiation is the |
| In 1939, Walter Büchi set up his own glass-blowing | | | | process where energy given off by one body is |
| workshop in the basement of a private house in | | | | absorbed by another. Light is a kind of energy, |
| Switzerland. He manufactured glass instruments for | | | | specifically classified as electromagnetic energy. So, |
| laboratories and hospitals, leading to the eventual | | | | an x-ray is a form of electromagnetic radiation: |
| invention of the modern day concept of the rotary | | | | x-rays (a particular type of light) are emitted |
| evaporator in 1957. Today, Büchi is a leading | | | | and then absorbed by bone matter. By looking at |
| developer, producer, and distributor of laboratory | | | | what is absorbed (or not absorbed) a doctor can |
| equipment for research labs around the world. One | | | | identify what is wrong. Spectroscopy is similar in |
| man’s passion and dedication led to the | | | | theory. Every chemical will absorb or emit a certain |
| creation of a company whose technologies help | | | | amount of light at a given wavelength. Spectroscopy |
| support the evolution and growth of almost every | | | | is the process of identifying chemical substances by |
| scientific field from chemistry to biology. Büchi | | | | the light emitted from or absorbed by them. Near |
| specializes in technologies for rotary evaporation and | | | | infrared is just a particular type of light. Thus, |
| near infrared spectroscopy for research laboratories | | | | near infrared spectroscopy uses near infrared light to |
| and for quality control purposes. These are a couple | | | | determine chemical species (or the the concentration |
| of big words that have a big impact in our everyday | | | | of them). Near infrared (NIR) is used because it is |
| lives. | | | | able to penetrate further than other kinds of light on |
| Evaporation is a key step in a significant number of | | | | the spectrum. Büchi’s NIR spectroscopy |
| chemical processes, and a rotary evaporator is an | | | | equipment primarily supports nutritional analysis of |
| efficient, fast, and gentle way of separating liquids. | | | | food and feed, and quality control in the |
| Specifically, this device allows for the collection of a | | | | pharmaceutical industry. |
| solvent via evaporation. A chemical mixture is first | | | | These key technologies have a wide range of |
| heated gently. The use of a vacuum temporarily | | | | applications and are used in almost every chemistry, |
| alters the air pressure around the mixture which | | | | biology, and physics laboratory worldwide. They are |
| lowers the boiling point - this makes the liquid boil | | | | used primarily for research and development, and |
| faster, and lower temperatures are less reactive. | | | | quality control in a variety of industries: |
| When the desired substance evaporates it is | | | | pharmaceutical, nutritional, agricultural, petrochemical, |
| collected separately. Rotation, more accurately, | | | | and many many more. NIR is even used in hospitals |
| centrifugal force, speeds up this process. The | | | | to monitor brain activity in patients, or by |
| Büchi Rotavapor is the most commonly used | | | | astronomers to determine the age of a star. |