Polycarbonate Tank

Quick Answer: The Polycarbonate Tank is a transparent plastic bath vessel set over a multi-position magnetic stirrer, so that several flasks stir in temperature-controlled water while staying visible through the tank walls.

Why a Clear Polycarbonate Tank

Polycarbonate is a tough, glass-clear thermoplastic that survives knocks far better than acrylic, which is why it is used for bath tanks that are moved, filled and emptied often. In a polycarbonate tank the whole flask is visible from the side: students can watch stir bars spinning, solids dissolving and colours changing without lifting anything out of the water.

The tank is used in the same way as its steel counterpart. It stands over a multi-position stirrer and is filled with water, a separate immersion thermostat or circulator provides the heat, and each magnet below drives the stir bar in the flask above it. Plastic is non-magnetic, so the stirring field passes through the floor; distance still matters, so the tank must sit close to the stirrer it is intended for.

The limits come from the material. Long exposure to hot water gradually weakens polycarbonate, and hot alkaline water, ammonia, acetone and chlorinated solvents attack it, causing cloudiness or the fine surface cracks known as crazing. For hot or chemically aggressive baths the Stainless steel tank is the sturdier choice.

Care & Handling

• Clean with warm water and a neutral detergent; keep acetone, chlorinated solvents and strongly alkaline cleaners away from it.
• Use a soft cloth or sponge, never a scouring pad, so the walls stay clear.
• Keep the bath to moderate temperatures and let warm water cool before draining the tank.
• Stand the tank on a flat, level surface so the plastic is not stressed while it is full.

Uses Where Seeing the Flasks Matters

• Iodine clock and other colour-change reactions run at controlled temperature, watched by the class through the side wall
• Comparing how fast a salt dissolves at different stirring speeds across several flasks
• Stirred incubation of culture flasks at moderate temperatures, with growth checked by eye
• Showing students a stirred water bath set-up before they use an enclosed instrument

Specifications

Why Choose LabEquip

Schools and teaching labs choose the Polycarbonate Tank when a stirred bath has to double as a demonstration, because the class can see every flask. Where heating and stirring are wanted in one instrument, a digital water bath with magnetic stirring is the related option; LabEquip lists both in General Lab Products.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why choose this clear tank over the stainless steel one?

Choose it when the flasks need to be visible from the side, for teaching or for watching a reaction, and when a lighter tank is easier to handle. Choose stainless steel for hotter baths, long runs and harsh cleaning.

Which cleaning agents damage polycarbonate?

Acetone, chlorinated solvents such as dichloromethane, ammonia and strongly alkaline detergents can cloud or craze it. A neutral laboratory detergent in warm water, followed by a rinse, is the safe routine.

How warm can the water in the tank be?

Polycarbonate copes well with warm baths, but long periods in hot water gradually weaken it and hot alkaline water attacks it faster. Keep to moderate temperatures and confirm the rated maximum before running a hot bath.

Can the tank be autoclaved?

Polycarbonate tolerates only a limited number of steam cycles before it turns brittle and cloudy, and a tank of this size rarely fits a laboratory autoclave anyway. Wipe it with a compatible disinfectant instead.

Will the stir bars turn through the plastic floor?

Yes. Polycarbonate is non-magnetic, so the field from each stirring position passes through the floor. The tank needs to sit close to the magnets, and long or heavy stir bars may need a lower speed to stay coupled.

Why has the tank become cloudy?

Cloudiness usually comes from hard-water scale, fine scratches or chemical attack. Scale can be lifted with a dilute citric acid solution and a rinse; scratches and crazing are permanent, so avoid abrasive pads and incompatible chemicals.

Last Updated: September 2026