Has Anyone Tried Mixing with a Sonicator/Cell Disruptor?

I know they are kind of expensive. But I can get a pretty good home-use one for around $2000. Sounds like a lot of money, I know. I’ve probably saved more than that making my own juice at home.
In case you’re wondering, and don’t feel like looking it up, a sonicator uses ultra sound or very high frequencies to mix. It is used often for mixing non miscible liquids, like oil and water. It is what is used to get cannabis oil extracts to mix in water based products.
Anyway, I wonder if anyone had any experience with this and can tell me if it’s worth it. I would bet my bottom dollar that there’s e juice companies that use them. I am wondering if it would bypass the steep time altogether. Maybe some of the more experienced chemists here could give some insight.

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And it’s a certainty that you would win that bet. These devices are used throughout the food and many other industries. Having said that (a) I am not a chemist and (b) know very little about them other than a lot of research into how food flavorings are made at the production level. However, my research and ongoing efforts involve high shear hydraulic mixing/homogenization instead of ultrasonic cavitation shear and which I believe is the method used by the majority of flavoring companies. Note that “I believe” means that I admit that I am speculating. I do know that Flavourart uses high shear equipment.

It will certainly accelerate the time factor as will the high shear mixing process be it particle reduction, emulsification, homogenizing or any of the multiple purposes the devices can be used for. But I refuse to use the term “steep” or better said refuse to use the term seriously. Concerning e juices we are suspending volatiles in a homogeneous solution by aging and evaporation. Some recipes and flavorings take very little time while others take weeks. I have caused a ruckus or two+++ here but there is a physical process (mixing/homogenization) and a chemical process of evaporation and off gassing .

I think most mixers here equate the time factor with wine making and many have declared that there is no way to speed up wine-making other than to age it and let the “magic” happen.
Below is a link to the maker of sonicator devices and the link specifically describes sonicator usage for wine-making (among many other things). A year turns into days.

I would be happy to provide links to high shear mixers used for ejuice and cannabis products which details the universal usage throughout food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, oils and lubrications among many other production usages.

I have no idea which is best…ultrasonic or high shear. Hopefully, someone will join in and after all, those that use ultrasonic cleaners for their juice making are using a sonicator, just much less powerful than the device you are considering.

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Sounds like the Cling-on’s latest weapon to me.

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There you go again being an Ogre.:grin:

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Lol, can’t help myself. Definite lack of impulse control on forums. In truth it really does sound intriguing. In regard to a replacement for aging, I have no idea. Not convinced I understand everything that happens during that process. I do enjoy reading the conjecture however. A lot of insight to be had.

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For those interested in or are making their own extracts this link would certainly be interesting:
https://www.hielscher.com/ultrasonic-production-of-flavour-ingredients.htm

Personally I have chosen hydraulic shear as the method I’m pursuing. I own precision tooling and machinery and have already constructed a rotor/stator mixing device. The design resembles this:
http://www.silverson.com/us/products/laboratory-mixers/how-it-works

There is a wealth of information at the Silverson website. Cat Scientific also has videos and blog articles and produce a highly regarded line of products. Ditto for Pro Scientific.

“The truth is out there.” Beam me up Smiley.:laughing:

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Aye Captain!

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