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In my nanoparticle synthesis, I need to cool a beaker with boiling solution (50mL beaker) rapidly to arrest a reaction at a specific size of nanoparticle. Letting the hot beaker cool passively is too slow and unpredictable.

For this, I transfer my boiling beaker from my hot plate to a larger beaker (250mL beaker) filled with ~15°C tap water, and I use a stirring rod to stir the hot beaker for around 30 seconds.

I've done this nearly 30 times already and have not had a single problem or piece of broken glass. I use borosilicate glass beakers, and some of them are Pyrex.

I understand that the hot beaker could break due to thermal shock, but just how likely is this? Is it safe to cool the beaker so rapidly?

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    $\begingroup$ Why don't you spray the liquid into small droplets into another, pre-cooled container? $\endgroup$
    – Gyro Gearloose
    Commented Jun 27 at 21:28
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    $\begingroup$ Pyrex or borosilicate glasses would stand for slow or rapid cooling. For example, For example, cooling of hot solution to $\pu{-70 ^\circ C}$ in dryice/acetone bath have been done several times without experiencing glass breaking. $\endgroup$
    – Mathew Mahindaratne
    Commented Jun 27 at 21:56
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    $\begingroup$ BTW, a smaller or elongated container, with greater surface-to-volume ratio, cools faster. An ordinary thin-walled borosilicate test tube might be easier to handle and cool faster. As mentioned above, I'd have no compunction about transferring directly from flame with boiling liquid to water/ice bath at 0 °C. $\endgroup$
    – DrMoishe Pippik
    Commented Jun 27 at 23:06
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    $\begingroup$ The whole point of Pyrex is that it resists thermal shock because it expands/contracts very little on heating/cooling $\endgroup$
    – Waylander
    Commented Jun 28 at 9:50
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    $\begingroup$ I did not down vote but you present experimental evidence that it is safe over 30 uses and ask others to predict the future! Well I will. eventually you will break a beaker or 2 or more. You have almost identified a problem identify it and correct the situation. Hint: the problem is not the glass composition. $\endgroup$
    – jimchmst
    Commented Jun 28 at 17:35

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