Microwave Extraction Adapts Easily to Existing Chemistry
The ability to significantly reduce sample preparation time and costs is what makes microwave technology so attractive to the analytical laboratory.
Another important feature of the Milestone Extraction System is that it easily adapts to existing extraction chemistry. This is accomplished through the use of a unique, patented material called WeflonTM.
The development of this material was an important breakthrough in the development of microwave extraction. Before the development of Weflon, solvent choices for microwave extraction were limited. Extractions could only be performed with polar organic solvents (Acetone, Methanol, etc.) or mixtures of polar and non-polar solvents. Extractions with pure non-polar solvents could not be done until the development of Weflon, because non-polar solvents can't couple with the microwave field through dipole rotation. If the solvent doesn't couple with the microwave field then it is "microwave-transparent," i.e., it will not be heated. Weflon eliminates this problem by acting as a coupling agent.
When placed in a sample vessel, a Weflon stir bar or button is heated by the microwave field and subsequently transfers this heat to the non-polar solvent. What makes Weflon unique is the manufacturing process. Each Weflon piece is precisely manufactured to contain the same amount of high-purity microwave absorbing material. This ensures reproducible heating conditions from vessel to vessel and run to run.
Extraction: Go back to overview, or continue to technical specs, resource library, or accessories.
General: Go to the Milestone front page, or send us an inquiry.