Parafilm
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Parafilm is a semi-transparent, flexible film composed of a blend of waxes and polyolefins. It is a ductile, malleable, non-toxic, odorless, and self-sealing thermoplastic. It has been manufactured by the company Amcor[1] since its acquisition of Bemis Company, Inc in 2018. It comes in two colors, natural (colorless) and purple.[2]
Laboratories[edit]
Parafilm M is commonly used in health care, pharmaceutical and research laboratories for covering or sealing vessels such as flasks, cuvettes, test tubes, beakers, petri dishes and more.[3] The "M" stands for mounting or maps, as Parafilm was originally used to mount charts and other objects using heat.[1][4] Parafilm M was marketed in 1950s for lab use and for various home applications.[1]
Because it melts quickly when heated, Parafilm M is not safe for use in an autoclave. It is also soluble in many organic solvents.[5]
Other applications[edit]
Produce[edit]
Some growers use Parafilm M instead of fungicides or other coatings to prevent rot, wrapping it around the freshly cut crowns of bananas, pineapples and other produce.
Stem wrap[edit]
Florists use Parafilm Stem Wrap to extend the flower's life by protecting moisture in the stem as a floral tape.[6]
Grafting[edit]
Horticulturalists use Parafilm Grafting Tape in grafting. Several grafting styles call for wrapping a graft to hold it together, and sealing it to prevent drying and Parafilm Grafting Tape does both. In this context Parafilm is also known as grafting tape.
Modeling[edit]
Parafilm M is used by some modelers as a masking material during airbrushing, due to its lack of adhesion, which can destroy a finish.
Entomology[edit]
Entomologists have used Parafilm M as a membrane to feed hematophagous insects such as mosquitoes and bedbugs[7] reared in the lab.
Microfluidics[edit]
An application of Parafilm M is to make paper-based microfluidic devices.[8] Paper-based microfluidic devices are considered a suitable way to fabricate low-cost point-of-care diagnostics for developing countries and areas where expensive medical instrumentation is not accessible. Digital microfluidic devices can also use it as the electrode insulator and hydrophobic layer [9]
Similar products[edit]
A similar but now discontinued product is Fuji's Sealon film.[10][11]
Another similar product is Seal-R-Film.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Barbu, Brianna (February 26, 2023). "Fun with Parafilm". Chemical & Engineering News. Vol. 101, no. 7. ISSN 0009-2347. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ "PARAFILM® M SEALING FILM". www.heathrowscientific.com. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
- ^ Dainis, Alex. Parafilm: What is this thing?!. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ "Parafilm – A latex-base material". The Rubber Age. 41 (3). Penton Business Media: 178. June 1937. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ Miller, David (17 May 2012). "Parafilm : Frequently asked questions".
- ^ "What is Parafilm Stem Wrap?". The Koch Blog. 2013-05-31. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
- ^ McNeil, Donald G. Jr. (30 August 2010). "Bedbugs Crawl, They Bite, They Baffle Scientists". The New York Times.
- ^ "Simple and rapid fabrication of paper microfluidic devices utilizing Parafilm® « Chips and Tips". rsc.org.
- ^ "A two-for-one dielectric and hydrophobic layer for digital microfluidics « Chips and Tips". rsc.org.
- ^ Mitsuhashi, Jun (1979). "Materials for Artificial Rearing of Leafhoppers". In Maramorosch, Karl & Harris, Kerry F. (eds.). Leafhopper Vectors and Plant Disease Agents. Academic Press. p. 375.
- ^ Takahashi, K.; Mogi, I.; Awaji, S.; Watanabe, K. (2011). "Non-contact measurement of diamagnetic susceptibility change by a magnetic levitation technique". Measurement Science and Technology. 22 (3): 035703. Bibcode:2011MeScT..22c5703T. doi:10.1088/0957-0233/22/3/035703. S2CID 120315738.