FumeHood

Project FumeHood
Status	In progress
Contact	Mux, PeterC, Peterbjornx
Last Update	2018-11-11

For some time now, there has been some interest in performing chemistry experiments and the like at RevSpace, with PeterC having amassed a decent amount of glassware and chemicals over the past 2 years. Until recently, we did not have a safe and contained area to actually perform any experiments in. Project FumeHood has changed that, and now provides:

• A safe fume cupboard, made from chemically inert materials, to do the experiments in
• Providing within the fume cupboard all the amenities you expect in a proper chemistry lab: electric outlets, gas connections, water connections, vacuum takeoff and of course air extraction
• Dedicated, safe storage for glassware and chemicals
• A wide assortment of compatible glassware
• A few necessary chemicals (you will usually have to supply your own specialty chemicals or replace whatever you used, except for proportionally tiny amounts or bulk chemicals)

The goings-on with the fume hood, at least initially, will mostly be documented on mux's Youtube channel PowerElectronicsBlog. You can watch the introductory video that goes over all the functionality of the fume hood here:

Youtube - PowerElectronicsBlog - Chemistry is going on: the fume hood at Revspace

Current Affairs

This section lists the currently planned experiments as well as other relevant goings-on in the fume hood. This section is periodically updated and cleaned up by the current head honcho: mux

• Fume hood cannot be used right now; awaiting board approval for the latest improvements

Ground Rules

The ground rules for the fumehood are:

• The fumehood must be empty when it’s not in use for an experiment
• Experiments can only be performed with prior approval
• Chemicals need to be correctly and safely stored in the appropriate level of the closet or drawers
• The fumehood can never be used by just one person
• Any experiment has to be attended to at all times, so no overnight experiments (unless you have 2 people stay overnight)
• Fellow spacers should be informed appropriately when an experiment is ongoing
• You are responsible for the chemical waste you generate

Any broken rule should be immediately noted and if possible righted. If somebody absent-minded stored some widget inside the fume hood, take it out and put it in the person’s samla. If somebody seems to be working by themselves on an experiment, ask if you can be their buddy or inform the kaiser of this. Maybe their chem buddy got sick and they’re still cleaning up but they forgot to tell anyone.

Responsible person

Everything that happens with the fumehood of any significance should be reported to one responsible person: mux. By request you can get his e-mail, phone number, Signal, Hangouts, whatever you like. Just ask on IRC or in person, or any other way you see fit.

Experiment planning and approval

If you intend to do an experiment in the fumehood, you have to make a plan, submit it to the head honcho and get it approved and planned. You will need to:

• State which reagents you will use and what synthesis you wish to perform (if possible: links to papers/procedures/whatever you’re using)
• Describe the apparatus(es) you will use
• Explain the risks of every step in your synthesis and have contingency plans for when anything goes wrong
• Estimate how long you will want to use the fumehood
• Explain in detail how you will clean everything and how long this will take
• Say when you wish to do your experiment
• Name a person or persons(s) you will be doing the experiment with

Depending on your experiment, you may either just go ahead, or you may have to schedule a time where either a trained chemist or experienced person is available as well to observe the experiment.

The focus of any application is on safety and clean-up. You will always be asked to reserve lots of time for prep and cleanup, so keep that in mind.

The fumehood may be used to ventilate smelly things or accidents in the space safely without planning.

Documentation and inventory

The inventory if glassware and hardware is currently being compiled and supplemented. Work in progress.

All chemicals (except for distilled water and waste) are listed on the inside of the yellow locker cabinet doors to the right of the fumehood. Each bottle is labeled with a number (1-5) corresponding to the appropriate level of the cabinet it should reside in. A digital inventory of the fume hood is also kept on Quartzy: Quartzy: Department of Chemistry (you need to log in to access this so ask Mux or PeterC to email you an invite).

If anything breaks, is added, runs out, and mux is not available to manage this, just put it under the Current Affairs section of this page.