Limitations of silicone peristaltic pump tube

A complete peristaltic pump system typically consists of a main unit, pump head, and hose.
At present, the most common peristaltic pump tubes in China are silicone tubes, composite rubber tubes, PVC tubes and so on.

The use of silicone pump tubing is generally related to the biological or pharmaceutical industry, such as filtration of culture fluids, cell perfusion, fermentation tanks, and water for injection. Platinum vulcanized silicone tubes with high production process (such as Dow Corning Pharma-50, APT Silicone Tube, or Saint- Gobain 3350 Hose) are generally used in industrial processes . The inner wall is smooth and can reach FDA, USP, EU, NSF-51, etc. The corresponding charter requirements for the standard.

When the silicone tube is used as a peristaltic pump, the life is not long, generally 600 rpm, 3 roller pump head, 23 ° C, and the test sample is pure water, the life is 50-75 hours. The Dow Corning APT hose (Advanced Pump Tubing) has a life expectancy of about 6 times that of a typical silicone tube . However platinum cured silicone elastomer is an excellent material. Under the premise of excellent production process, the platinum vulcanized silicone tube has a hydrophobic smooth inner surface, which will hardly bring about a vortex dead angle. It is a complete change control tube. At the same time, the silicone tube can be sterilized by damp heat at 121 degrees, so in biology and In the pharmaceutical related field, silicone tube applications are quite extensive.

In addition, the resistance of silica gel to organic samples is poor, and the transport of polar organic solvents tends to cause a significant decrease in the life of the pump tube, increasing the number of shutdowns and tube changes; more importantly, after the silica gel is dissolved, the silicon-containing component enters the next step. Cause pollution.
The chemical compatibility of the hose to the material can be divided into four categories: excellent (E: Excellent), good (G: Good), unqualified, poor (F: Fail), and X (not recommended). In principle, compatibility is F or X and other tubing must be replaced. Example: Platinum Silicon Sulfide

The resistance of the glue to ethanol is F, the resistance to acetone is X, the resistance to ethanol is E, and the weakly polar substance such as acetic acid and fatty acid is G. Other tubes that are tolerant to G or E must be used for ethanol and acetone, which is ignored by most users. However, in some experiments, the dissolution of such organic substances on silicone tubes has already affected the experimental results.

What caused the weakness of the silicone tube facing organic materials?

From a microscopic point of view, silica gel is a porous cellular Si-C chain polymer whose hydrophobic groups on the surface prevent the passage of most polar molecules.
At the same time, because of this, polar molecules will be similarly compatible. When the polar organic matter is transported, the silicone tube itself is continuously eroded and dissolved. After a period of use (the length varies depending on the nature of the organic substance), the silicone tube absorbs water like a sponge and is filled with an organic solvent, and molecules continue to
volatilize from the surface.
These organic molecules exist in the form of a gas or a vapor, soaking the pump head of the peristaltic pump for a long time. If the pump head itself is a material with poor chemical resistance such as PESU, it will generally accelerate the pump head and even cause cracking.

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