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| Definition: The use of an automated machine (e.g. computer driven robot or fluidic devices) to carry out chemical reactions, purification and molecular assembly. | |
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History
Chemists have been setting up elaborate apparati that can function with little or no assistance since early times. However, only recently with the advent of computers and robotics has it become possible to simply command a computer to carry out a reaction or purification that used to require careful human attention.
Principles of Operation
While manual chemistry benefits from human creativity and experience, the cost for such efforts is frequently a lack of time and occasionally reproducibility. Many chemical reactions require tedious patience and repetetive processes, methods best suited for automation. Whats more, If one gives a well defined a recipe for a chemical reaction to several different chemists, chances are that each chemist will return a slightly or even significantly different product. On the other hand, automated chemistry instruments given the same specifications and starting materials will produce more identical. Thus, such methods save an enormous amount of time that is lost by chemists trying to reproduce experiments performed and described by another chemist. While the vast majority of reactions can still be carried out better by a skilled human, an automated instrument is very efficient at measuring accurate volumes, concentrations, temperatures and timing. Numerous automated methods are available, and with the continual shrinking of various instruments a lab-on-a-chip may play a major role in the near future of both chemistry and nanotechnology (if there is a real difference between the two).
Advantages
Automated Chemistry Companies