In nanoparticle synthesis you’ll be using chemicals in dry and liquid forms.
Each chemical has safety measures to follow.
In this video, we’ll show you the safety measures you'll take
from your initial planning, storage and retrieval, labeling,
to handling and mixing the chemicals used in the nanoparticle synthesis lab.
Safety measures start with you, actually with your attire.
Plan to wear close-toed shoes and long pants while working in the nano lab.
Your attire is the first layer of protection from injury or damage to your skin.
The second level of protection is Personal Protective Equipment,
or PPE as it’s called.
Before you start handling, mixing, or pouring
any kind of fluids or solids in the lab, PPE is required.
Protect your eyes with safety goggles and your hands with gloves.
Additionally, specific types of goggles and gloves may be called for,
it just depends on the chemical you’re working with.
Next is planning.
Plan first by listing out all of the lab materials and supplies, and have your instructor check it.
Then, it’s important to refer to the material’s Safety Data Sheet, or SDS,
for specific directions and description of the chemical’s use, handling, and disposal.
The front sheet has immediate information for chemical identification.
Look for other sections, such as the Handling and Storage Requirements section
and the Personal Protection Requirements section, for any chemical you’ll be working with.
Once you’re familiar with the chemicals needed for the lab, you’re ready to go to the chemical storage room to retrieve them.
Acid, bases, and solvents are carefully stored in separate areas of the chemical storage room.
Always read the printed label to make sure you’re collecting the correct chemicals and place the chemicals in a spill pan,
and when transporting chemicals from the storage room to the lab bench or fume hood,
use the spill pan to contain the chemical should a spill occur.
This lessens the chance of injury or damage to you or others.
Before you start mixing, refer again to the SDS to determine what scoops, containers,
and vessels to use with the chemical you’re working with.
To make this determination, refer to the Stability and Reactivity section of the SDS
to see if the chemical is reactive with organics or metals.
If it’s reactive to metals, use organics, like wood.
If it’s reactive to organics, use metals.
If it’s reactive to both, use glass.
If in doubt, use glass.
Proper labeling helps prevent accidents.
All glassware must be labeled before chemicals are added with the concentration and the chemical name.
Date created and initials of creator are also recommended.
You can’t really tell what’s in an unlabeled beaker.
It could be water or it could be sulfuric acid.
Remember, you, or someone, can be seriously injured if you leave unlabeled chemicals or mixtures in the lab,
and that’s why labeling is one of the most important safety measures you can take.
Chemicals should be mixed under the fume hood unless otherwise directed by your instructor.
However, and this is very important, strong acids and bases
should never be mixed or handled under the same fume hood at the same time.
Inside the hood you’ll be using a weigh boat as a container for weighing the chemical you’re working with.
These hexagonal shaped weigh boats are static free
and help prevent scattering of the dry material due to any electrical charge build-up in the container.
Also inside the hood, we’ve placed a containment chamber
and we’ve labeled the weigh boat with the name of the chemical you’re working with.
In this case, we’re measuring sodium borohydride
When measuring any toxic powders, or anything that might pose a risk of spilling or becoming airborne,
use a containment chamber.
The weigh boat inside the chamber is the most accurate way to measure the amount of chemical you’ll be using,
and do everything with your hands inside the chamber.
Unscrew the container, scoop the material out, and gradually add material to the weigh boat.
Then, close the chamber doors and let the scale meter the weight of the chemical.
Should you end up with more chemical in the weigh boat than you intended, you’ll need to remove the excess.
Never put excess back into the chemical’s original bottle.
Instead, remove the excess material carefully and put it in a separate weigh boat
appropriately labeled for disposal later.
Once you have the correct amount,
carefully scoop the chemical into the labeled, pre-measured beaker of DI water.
This is one of the solutions you’ll be using for nanoparticle synthesis.
Be careful to make sure the entire amount of the chemical is emptied into the beaker of water.
You can even submerse the weigh boat into the beaker to better empty the weigh boat,
and even mixing must be done carefully under the hood until all of the chemical is dissolved,
checking it periodically and keeping the beaker under the hood.
Continue in the same way with the other two chemical solutions, making sure to use fresh weigh boats and tools.
Once you’ve prepared all three solutions for nanoparticle synthesis, don’t forget to do clean up.
Any material left in the fume hood must be removed, and using proper waste containment procedures is critical.
Waste containment means that the material must be carefully "bagged" in clearly marked bags with the chemical name,
making sure the labels on the weigh boat and the tools used match the label on the bag.
Place them in the bag and seal.
Additionally, to better control airborne particles,
you can place a wetted paper towel on top of the weigh boat before bagging,
and, remember, all the necessary PPE must be worn at all times, even during clean-up.
So, that’s it.
You’ve planned out your lab;
you’ve used the SDS to correctly identify the chemicals you need, their proper handling, and use;
and you’ve carefully labeled and mixed each solution.
So, take off your gloves and get ready to review the safety measures we’ve presented.
If you can follow these Safety Measures, you’re ready to move on to Part 2 of nanoparticle synthesis.