Freeze dryers are used to preserve food, extend the shelf of pharmaceutical products and vaccines, and more via the process of sublimation. During sublimation, a sample’s solvent turns from a solid directly into a gas, thus skipping the liquid stage and leaving the molecular structure of the sample intact. The sample can later be reconstituted simply by adding water. There are several types of freeze dryers to choose from, all of which are suited for different tasks. For a list of freeze dryer/lyophilizer manufacturers, see our online directory: labmanager.com/freeze-dryer-manufacturers
6 Questions to Ask When Buying a Freeze Dryer or Lyophilizer:
- What collection capacity will your samples need?
- How acidic will your solvents be?
- Do you need a shell bath for pre-freezing?
- Should you get a flask or tray freeze dryer?
- Do you need shelf stoppering capabilities?
- Will you be using your freeze dryer for routine processing or to develop new recipes?
Maintenance Tip
Only use water-based solutions to clean door gaskets and manifold valves. Acidic solutions will corrode these components, which will compromise the vacuum integrity.
Best Practices
If you want to maximize your freeze dryer’s lifespan, we recommend this article on the best practices for maintaining freeze dryers: labmanager.com/freeze-dryer-best-practices
