Inverse Opal Photonic Crystals - Department of Chemistry ...

3. Insert a disposable glass pipette into a one-hole stopper. Attach one end of a rubber hose to
the pipette and the other end to a nitrogen line. Ensure that the glass pipette is sufficiently
long to be submerged during the emulsion polymerization procedure to allow nitrogen to
bubble into the liquid. This prevents the formation of oxygen free radicals, which would
inhibit polymer growth.
4. Mount the electric lab stirrer onto the support stand using a clamp holder. Wrap a few
rounds of high-temperature tape around the metal stirrer shaft. Cut out a 3-inch length of
thick rubber hose (10 mm inner diameter, 23 mm outer diameter). Attach the hose to the
metal stirrer shaft and secure it with a hose clamp. Place another hose clamp on the other
end of the hose for later attachment of the glass stirring shaft.
5. Using Figure 9 as a guide, assemble the bearing and adapter set. Insert the Teflon inner
bearing into the threaded glass adapter, followed by the compression saddle and o-ring.
Screw the bushing into the glass adapter until snug, then tighten the lock nut. Place the
Teflon stirrer blade on the glass stirring shaft. Slip the bearing and adapter set over the glass
stirring shaft. Insert the stirring apparatus into the central neck of the round-bottom flask.
Make sure that the stir blade remains upright. It may be necessary to insert a spatula or wire
into another neck of the flask to flip the blade upright. Keep the stir blade about one inch
from the bottom (close enough to the bottom so that the stir blade cannot flip over). Lower
the electric stirrer and insert the top of the glass stirring shaft into the hose affixed to the
electric stirrer. Secure the shaft to the hose by tightening the hose clamp.
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