What Is a Sonicator?
A sonicator is a device that utilizes ultrasonic vibrations to crush, disperse, emulsify, and mix substances efficiently.
Its operation begins with an ultrasonic generator that produces high-frequency electrical signals. These signals are transformed into mechanical vibrations by a transducer. When these vibrations are applied to a liquid via a probe, they induce cavitation— the formation and implosion of microscopic bubbles. This process generates shock waves that effectively crush, disperse, emulsify, and mix the substances within the liquid.
Widely used across various disciplines, sonicators play a crucial role in chemistry for tasks like nanoparticle synthesis and catalyst preparation; in biology for cell disruption and DNA extraction; in medicine for cell culture and tissue analysis; and in food processing for emulsification, homogenization, extraction, and enzyme activation, among other applications.