All my glassware is fused quartz and I'm just checking to see if this can react or be degraded by NaOH?

I know regular glass can and I know it should be OK if I dilute it with water first but all my glass is Quartz (sep funnels etc) even my beakers that I mix the NaOH in.

It being an issue of safety I thought I'd better check. Dont want to wreck my precious glass either!

Well made quartz glass is very good quality (very stable with excellent thermal properties). However, like all glass, it will react with NaOH over an extended period.This is typically not an issue though because only a highly concentrated NaOH solution over a long period of time will have any effect. That is to say, don't leave a saturated hydroxide solution in your glass for months on end.

EDIT: I should note that in this context I'm talking, of course, about mineral glass (because technically glass refer to an amorphous, non crystalline solid. eg many plastics have a glass phase)

All laboratory glass is attacked by strong alkali solutions, fused quartz is no exception. You will be fine for using quartz equipment provided the NaOH is not molten. Under normal conditions glass is attacked very, very slowly.

See this document to further answer your questions:
document

Thanks guys I guess it should be OK. I guess when you say 'molten' we are not talking about a hot water bath temps, with water brought to near boiling and the glass flask placed within it?

Interested to know what you guys use and would recommend to use if not glass?

Basically all the work I do and plan to do involves NaOH but I love working with sep funnels and they are really a very clean way to work.

But my glass was expensive and I dont even like the idea of damaging it even slightly! My poor babies!

I'm guessing from everything you guys have said its nothing to worry about though, as after all chemists would not get much done without working with strong bases, and they all use glas right!

invest in stopper sleaves for naoh solutions. They're made from ptfe and prevent the ground glass jointware from fusing together. You'll be alright. I use strong bases all the time.

A couple winds of PTFE tape will do the same job.

When 1ce says molten he means pure liquified NaOH. So as long as it's in solution, you'll be fine.

Honestly my glass stopper is rubbish (leaks when I tip) and I do need to change that ASAP or else use sticky tape every time I want to use it.

Second thoughts it doesn’t matter too much because I find it easier to work in a conical flask for mixing and transfer to the sep funnel when I want to well... separate something!

Pretty damned obvious you might think, but on my first extraction I was trying to do everything in the separation funnel which I don’t think is ever a good idea even with a reliable stopper.

Thanks for the help guys think I'm going to rest easy.

I think what I will do is buy a HTFE container for mixing.

I have about a pound of cacti so I will need a pretty big container anyway. I was planning to buy a 2000ml conical glass made from quartz and so needless to say I thought it best I ask about lye before making the investment.

quartz is really only needed when working with very high temperatures, like say, distilling sulfuric acid at reg temp.3

Honestly you could Pc it in citric acid solution in jars (the skin), basify, and pull with methyl benzene just fine.

Use your glass, it wears down over time but that's what it's here for.

hi, on the subject of NaOH, I am struggling to get hold of pure lye. Is there an issue using naoh in drain cleaner like drano? the bottle states it's 54% sodium hydroxide, but before I use it, I want to know if there is a concern with the other 46%.

thanks

Welcome to the nexus ben1eye

Check the 'is this chem safe to use' thread, since that's what it is for. -I'll leave you the trouble and suggest you check the product's MSDS. Pickling lime is another alternative, and you can pick that up at any local walmart in the canning - vacuum sealing section. Be sure to grab a bottle of citric acid too. It's in powder form and much easier to handle than vinegar.