Magnetic Stirrer

Top plate/Hot plate: Stainless steel or ceramic is typically used for the plates of magnetic stirrers. Ceramic: The white surface of ceramic top hotplates makes them suitable for titrations and other tasks requiring clear color vision. They also have high chemical resistance, making them ideal while working with corrosive chemicals that may splash onto the plate surface. Stainless steel: A stainless steel top plate offers a highly forceful coupling and stirring action since it does not produce eddy currents (like aluminum).

Stir bar: The term “stir bar” or “spin bar” refers to a tiny, Teflon-coated, white, rectangular magnet. The sole function of these bars is to stir solutions. They work in tandem with a stirring motor. The stir bar is put in a liquid-filled container, then placed over a stirring motor. The bar spins, and the liquid is stirred when the stir motor is turned on. The vessel shape and the viscosity of the stirring media determine the shape of the stir bar, which can be octagonal, circular, etc. The stir bar’s dimensions range from millimeters to a few centimeters.

Stationary electromagnet: It is positioned inside the stirrer instrument that helps to generate a magnetic field and rotate the magnetic needle (stir bar) immersed in liquid, thereby creating a high-speed stirring action enough to homogenize the mixture.

Speed controlling knob: The speed control knob is used to adjust the rotating speed (rpm) of the stir bar depending on the liquid’s density or project needs.

Temperature controlling knob: The magnetic stirrer features a knob for temperature control which controls the temperature based on the vessel size, the viscosity of the liquid, and its volume.

Stir bar retriever: These magnets are permanently embedded with PTFE (teflon) rod. It facilitates the safe and easy recovery of magnetic stirring and spin bars from irritant and corrosive liquid samples in glass flasks. However, it is less commonly employed in magnetic stirring.