Intro

An unforgettable name in the laboratory, the J Young® Valve (often referred to as a Young's Valve) has stood the test of time in the scientific world. Perhaps the most elegant and ergonomic use case of the valve stands the J Young® Schlenk line.

First invented by Wilhelm Schlenk, the Schlenk line (or vacuum gas manifold) is a key piece of apparatus in handling moisture sensitive and air-sensitive compounds within reactions. The schlenk line has become a staple piece of apparatus in the fields of Inorganic Chemistry and Organometallic Chemistry. Originally developed using glass stopcocks that require vacuum grease, the J Young® variation removes the need for this, eliminating any risk that the grease has of entering the system and contaminating sensitive reactions.

J Young® Valves

ABOVE: The J Young® Valve in signature yellow and a selection of other colours

Whilst J Young® Valves are now owned and manufactured by GPE Scientific, their history is rich and entrepreneurial, dating back to the 1950s. An ambitious scientific glassblower, Jim Young, ventured forth to start his own company making glass stopcocks and spherical joints. After experimenting with various O-ring joints and setups to remove the need for grease in air-sensitive techniques, Young and his son, David, stumbled across a hydraulic grinder with two O-rings creating a uniform seal - and after this lightbulb moment, the J Young® Valve was born.

The J Young® Valve consists of a PTFE body and utilises a dual O-ring system, one made from PTFE and one Viton, to create a seamless air-tight seal when fastened onto the glassware. They're renowned in the laboratory for their unmissable yellow presence, whilst also being available in a range of different colours. They have a range of interesting use cases, including stopcocks and taps, vacuum manifolds and flasks, and even NMR tubes!

Anatomy of The J Young® Schlenk Line

The core component of any setup is the dual manifold - one inert gas manifold (typically nitrogen gas) and one vacuum line. As standard, we provide red taps for the vacuum manifold and blue for the inert gas manifold - but it's up to you how creative you want to be as we do offer the taps in multiple different colours!

The dual manifolds come in three standard sizes - 3 port, 4 port and 5 port. We also provide the option for a vacuum gauge port to measure the level of vacuum through the line, as shown below:

ABOVE: Schlenk line with NW16 Vacuum Gauge Port, shown with and without a VACUU·VIEW vacuum gauge.

We also have available the dual offset manifold which features the taps all at the same height, and for the purists of you out there, we of course supply a traditional glass manifold with double-oblique stopcocks. The manifold ends can also be customised to a wide range of standard fittings such as tapered or spherical joints.

For more demanding and precise applications, our high performance (HP) range is the perfect fit. With a new robust design, reinforced sealing area, and improved tap interchangeability, the HP manifold can withstand rigorous applications for much longer.

Accessories

Standard Schlenk Line Setup. Image credit: Schlenk Line Survival Guide - Andryj Borys

Vacuum Pumps & Vacuum Gauges

To equip your vacuum manifold for research, you'll be looking at getting a vacuum pump for the vacuum manifold. We recommend the VACUU·PURE 10C for most standard processes as it's oil-free, chemically resistant and heavily reduces the chance of suck back of any evacuated traces of solvent into the pump. The VACUU·VIEW gauge is our recommended choice of manometer (vacuum gauge) and pairs nicely with the VACUU·PURE to provide a complete, measurable vacuum setup. We also supply great quality flexible hosing from Vacuubrand for vacuum applications.

Cold Traps

To protect your vacuum pump from condensed solvent contamination, we highly recommend using a liquid nitrogen cold trap (cryogenic trap) between the pump/vent valve and the system. The cold trap protects the pump by freezing any contaminants using a liquid nitrogen dewar flask, which can then be thawed and put into a waste container.

It is crucial to purge the system to create an air-free environment before using a liquid nitrogen trap, as liquid oxygen can form as a pale blue liquid in the trap. Liquid oxygen creates a high risk of explosion in the solvent trap, as it can react with organic solvents, organometallic compounds or any other organic compounds present, and should be managed with great care.

The J Young® range provides three different types of cold trap, each with their own unique benefits depending on your requirements.

Bubblers

To relieve pressure whilst maintaining an inert atmosphere, an oil bubbler is typically used, creating a barrier to the atmosphere whilst still allowing gas from the inert gas manifold to escape when the inert gas pressure exceeds the atmospheric pressure. The bubbler also allows the gas flow rate to be measured and prevents an ingress of air back into the system.

There are multiple types of oil bubbler depending on your use case. If you're planning to use cannula transfers or cannula filters for cannula filtrations, we would recommend using the Chemglass pressure relief bubbler, as it gives control over the inert gas flow rate, allowing a slight overpressure to be finely controlled in the system, enhancing the flow of fluid through the cannula from the transfer flask.

Schlenk Flasks

Now that you've got a schlenk line setup that's ready to be safely under vacuum and inert atmosphere, you have a wide range of different reaction vessels to choose from. The J Young® schlenk flasks are an exceptional reaction flask for a large variety of applications, giving you full control over your reagents. Options for the reaction vessels include round-bottomed flasks and cylindrical schlenk flasks, with a variety of different ground glass joints and customisations, including options with a cold finger - another effective cryogenic trap.

As always, if you have any J Young® or Inorganic Chemistry application questions, or questions about any other pieces of laboratory equipment, our team of application specialists are more than happy to help. Additionally, if you have custom application that needs a bespoke manifold design, our specialist scientific glassblowers are at your disposal. Please contact us to get started.

Written By: Robert Williams

Sources (external links):

Young's Valve - Andrea Sella, Chemistry World

Schlenk Line Survival Guide - Andryj Borys