Boiling point myths and the science of flower vaporization

Black_Prrl

Manufacturer of the Neo and Terp Surfer
Manufacturer
Okay, I just read another article (from a cannabis science site, no less) that completely missed how flower vaporization actually works. So, I wrote an article for Medium, and wanted to post it on FC for your comments and insights. This was written at a high level for a less knowledgeable audience than y'all. My apologies if this is too basic or has been covered at length elsewhere...

You have surely seen the multi-colored charts that list boiling points of several terpenes and cannabinoids. This information can be helpful, but it’s also quite misleading.

1*Gj2wUvCR3LU3kwbPTIrZlA.jpeg

Sample boiling point chart from Reddit

Many of the terpenes found in cannabis are highly volatile and delicate; meaning, they evaporate easily and can be chemically altered or destroyed by high temperatures. There are many misconceptions when it comes to the significance of boiling point temperatures. There is a persistent myth that if you set your vaporizer to a specific temperature, you can dial in a specific terpene or cannabinoid (side note: most vaporizers can NOT actually control to a specific temperature). Similarly, I’ve read articles that imply that if the temperature is below a particular boiling point, then you don’t get much of that compound. And, conversely, if you set the temperature well above the boiling point, you will get all of that compound. Instantly.

Since we can enjoy the rich smells of a dank and terpy bud at room temperature, then clearly terpenes are evaporating at lower temperatures—just like perfume does. Vaporization happens across a wide range of temperatures, not just at specific points. In fact, many terpenes become highly volatile above 70°F, which is why cultivators and extractors try to keep temperatures low during curing and processing to avoid terpene and cannabinoid losses.

What is vaporization, anyway?​

Vaporization is a complex process that depends on many different factors including temperature, pressure, surface area, airflow, molecular mass, intermolecular forces, and other effects. In addition, the physical mechanics of the heating device you are using (e.g. convection, conduction, or radiant), can lead to different, and often uneven, vaporization effects. At best, vaporization is poorly understood and often oversimplified.

There are two primary processes by which liquids vaporize:
  1. Evaporation
  2. Boiling
Evaporation occurs at the surface boundary between the liquid and the surrounding air when individual molecules gather enough kinetic energy to escape the liquid. In basic science classes, this is often described as a slow process. And, when you have a pot full of water sitting at room temperature, that’s true.


1*2hlGtKNKaNtGmN9_3zIv1A.png

Example from https://psiberg.com/evaporation-vs-boiling/

In actuality, evaporation depends heavily on the exposed surface area as well as the temperature and speed of the airflow across that surface. If you’ve ever hung a wet towel out to dry in the sun on a windy day at the beach, you know that evaporation can happen quite quickly. All of the little fiber loops of a terrycloth towel easily wick the moisture and dramatically increase the exposed surface area.

Boiling happens when the temperature of a volume of fluid increases to the point that the microscopic motion of the molecules exert a pressure equal to the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere. Then, vapor forms into bubbles within the fluid, which rise to the surface and burst, releasing the vapor. And, even though boiling is described as a “quick process,” the fluid doesn’t all convert to vapor immediately. It takes time.

So, how does all of this relate to cannabis vaporization? Well, that depends on whether you’re vaporizing flower, extracts/dabs, or cartridges. The same physical principles apply, but the mechanics are quite different.

Vaporizing dried cannabis flower is more similar to the wet towel analogy than to the pot of boiling water. All of the small plant cellulose fibers form an effective wicking matrix for the essential oils and cannabinoids to travel along. When hot air or hot chamber walls come into contact with the trichomes, those melt and a mixture of different plant oils and lipids spread along the fibers, increasing the exposed surface area of the fluid — whereupon they readily evaporate. Except at a very small scale, there just isn’t a volume of liquid for significant boiling to occur.

Thus, rapid evaporation is a more accurate and useful way to think about dried herb vaporization than boiling. However, that is not true for a vape cart or a dab.

A complex bouquet of terps​

To complicate matters a bit, we aren’t talking about vaporizing just one, homogenous compound. There is a complex bouquet of terpenes, cannabinoids, and flavonoids that get vaporized. And, this bouquet changes over time depending on the relative percentages of the terpenes and how much of each has already been volatilized. In this way, it’s quite similar to how the smell of a perfume evolves on your skin. The lighter “top notes” will evaporate more rapidly than the heavier “base notes,” and the smell of the perfume will evolve during the day.

1*3ANT98IxjV5jd35jw9fR3Q.jpeg

Image source: Olfactory Pyramid or Perfumer’s Nightmare ~ Columns ~ Fragrantica

Convection or conduction?​

Using a pure convection-based vaporizer is the most effective way of experiencing the subtleties and complexities of a finely cultivated, terp-rich strain. These devices deliver heated air that passes through the herb and evaporates the desired compounds. Unfortunately, most vaporizers are not "pure" convection. Conduction-based vaporizers generally involve hot metal or ceramic “ovens” that can overheat the herb where it touches the walls. This intense, localized heat can alter the delicate compounds and lead to that unappealing, “burnt popcorn” flavor. These localized effects are much, much worse in carts where hot coils can directly come in contact with the oils, creating byproducts that have been shown to be toxic.

Setting your vaporizer at a higher temperature will change the rate of evaporation for each of the compounds in the mixture, but it doesn’t mean that you are going to get more of a particular terpene — at least not in a simplistic way. However, the temperature setting is useful in the sense that you can alter the overall blend of terps and cannabinoids you experience with each of your puffs. Just know that subsequent inhalations will contain a different mixture of compounds.

Chasing the taste​

So, if you want to savor more of those lighter, delicate notes, set your vaporizer as low as possible. You’ll still get those heavier terpenes as well, but in a smaller percentage early on in your bowl. If you desire a denser vapor, you can set it higher to introduce some of those deeper, nuttier tastes into the vapor early. And, higher temperatures also alter the rate at which the flower undergoes decarboxylation…which, is NOT instantaneous when vaporizing. But, that is a topic for another day.

Let me know what you think!
 
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Curious Gorilla

Sounds like something smells purple.
Nice work, I think You are very much correct . Realised that the temperature charts were nonsense/nonscience 2 weeks after i started vapourising. It wasnt working so well for pain, and i nearly went back to smoking joints(but they tasted too rank,no going back). Then found the joys of convection.
Found this after months of frustration at the ridiculous state of consensus ''vaporising science''. I think the industry wants people getting less effect and buying more marijuanna... some of the best medicinal compounds are found at higher temperatures, and as you said at the end , then there is the whole decarboxylation issue. Huge can of worms, specialy if you like low temps.

wp-1648859041822.png

Not saying its completely accurate, it will change with how high you are... altitude wise that is. Makes quite a difference, to complicate things further. Maybe low temp vaping on the top of a mountain is the way to go.....
To be shown to all Cannabis clinics and experts. I have been told(by experts at a certain clinic. That i have now left .) that over 200c is when benzene becomes a danger.Not sure i buy that either, funny fact no one seems to mention, benzene boils at 80 degrees c.
Article it is from is refreshing compared to the usual . https://cannabislifenetwork.com/cannabinoid-boiling-points/
 

staircase slight of hand

Well-Known Member
I have been told(by experts at a certain clinic. That i have now left .) that over 200c is when benzene becomes a danger.Not sure i buy that either, funny fact no one seems to mention, benzene boils at 80 degrees c.

The funny thing is that basically 100% of the folks worrying about benzene are incapable of explaining where it’s coming from and how, and certainly aren’t doing any sort of educated risk-assessment. It’s basically just “toxins = bad!” + “numbers = science!” + “assumptions = probably correct, why else would I have ‘em?!” with no real knowledge or understanding, which seems to be an unfortunately common fail-state of dope-smoking hippie brains, g_d love ‘em.
 

Black_Prrl

Manufacturer of the Neo and Terp Surfer
Manufacturer
Nice work, I think You are very much correct . Realised that the temperature charts were nonsense/nonscience 2 weeks after i started vapourising. It wasnt working so well for pain, and i nearly went back to smoking joints(but they tasted too rank,no going back). Then found the joys of convection.
Found this after months of frustration at the ridiculous state of consensus ''vaporising science''. I think the industry wants people getting less effect and buying more marijuanna... some of the best medicinal compounds are found at higher temperatures, and as you said at the end , then there is the whole decarboxylation issue. Huge can of worms, specialy if you like low temps.

wp-1648859041822.png

Not saying its completely accurate, it will change with how high you are... altitude wise that is. Makes quite a difference, to complicate things further. Maybe low temp vaping on the top of a mountain is the way to go.....
To be shown to all Cannabis clinics and experts. I have been told(by experts at a certain clinic. That i have now left .) that over 200c is when benzene becomes a danger.Not sure i buy that either, funny fact no one seems to mention, benzene boils at 80 degrees c.
Article it is from is refreshing compared to the usual . https://cannabislifenetwork.com/cannabinoid-boiling-points/

As you mention, there is not a lot of research that I've been able to find about benzene formation during vaporization. It exists (somewhat) for tobacco smoking, but I haven't found much regarding the the chemical mechanism for it's production. Is it a degradation of a cannabinoid or terpenoid? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ The commonly referenced 'research' piece is a 2001 study by Dale Gieringer from California NORML. While the experimental design was difficult to assess, the study purported to find that "Significant amounts of benzene, toluene and naphthalene were observed above 200℃..." So, it seems likely that this could be the source for those claims.

What I've been able to glean from my own experience is that a definite "bite" develops in the vapor at higher temperatures...close to the pre-combustion point. It's particularly noticeable when using low temps initially and step up to higher temps as the bowl evolves.* And, that same "bite" seems to be present in conduction-based vaporizers, which I assume is from the direct content of oils with the hot surfaces. I'd suspected it might be the plant waxes, but perhaps it's due to the formulation of these other compounds.



*Note: the actual air temperature of a convection vaporizer at the herb is mostly a function of thermal power generated and the volumetric airflow of your inhalation. Many devices claim to be able to vary the power fast enough to adjust to one's inhalation, which cools the chamber rapidly, but I have very serious doubts. And, I only know less than a handful that use a thermocouple to get temperature feedback. So, any claims at temperature control is suspect. With the Neo, I made a deliberate decision to set power levels, rather than attempt temperature control. One's breath is a much better regulators than any algorithm and with just a little practice, you are able to "surf" vapor points with a lot more control.
 

Curious Gorilla

Sounds like something smells purple.
Is there an accurate way to tell the temperature in the bowl, at the herb? any temperature reading on my devices seem more of a general direction,
I have learnt to judge it more by taste and post vape colour. And it is so much more tasty than joints.....
Seem to remember reading benzene is present in ambient air. Going to check. Starting brain , please wait....
 
Curious Gorilla,

Abysmal Vapor

Supersniffer 2000 - robot fart detection device
Benzene forms from overboiling certain terpenes at that temp is what they are not explaining. It is not present in the material itself,so it can evaprate at 80.
I have been told(by experts at a certain clinic. That i have now left .) that over 200c is when benzene becomes a danger.Not sure i buy that either, funny fact no one seems to mention, benzene boils at 80 degrees c.
 
Abysmal Vapor,

Curious Gorilla

Sounds like something smells purple.
It is present in varying levels in ambient air (https://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/benzene/basics/facts.asp), from varying man made sources as well as forest fires and volcanos. from CDC article- "Benzene is widely used in the United States. It ranks in the top 20 chemicals for production volume." "Indoor air generally contains levels of benzene higher than those in outdoor air. The benzene in indoor air comes from products that contain benzene such as glues, paints, furniture wax, and detergents." They are not at high temperatures, I suspect that if we avoid the bite in the taste you mentioned that indicates it about to combust, it is less likely to generate anything close to levels from smoking. I think less benzene when vaping may account for the more light,up, energised (?) feel to vaping vs smoking.

heres some further long boring reading for any who wish to inflame their brain. Personaly id wish id skiped more of it . All of it. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK138708/



Risk verses reward comes into play with any medicine, and some of the more interesting compounds, thcv, terpinolene, terpineol ,one begining with C i cant remember without looking it up and a load more I assume im unaware of. THCV is relavant to me as its possibly of help with diabetes and also low bone density, amongst other things.

Despite any possible concerns, we appear to have been living with benzene since we were gathered round fires in caves, and although im glad I no longer smoke, I do like to sit by a nice smokey wood fire. Hard to find a good cave these days tho...

Even with a thermocouple and pid, i use speed of breath to vary bowl temp, and as the moisture content makes a difference in the amount of time to combustion.
looking at that cursed temperature chart again....... 205 celsius as an arbitrary level for a magical increase in benzene? I think it is an attemp to sell more product to medical patients.
The whole 'This is the temperature of combustion' thing is a joke. If dry paper combusts at 451f / 233c, resin covered marijuana at 53% relative humidity(my current ambient) is not going to combust lower than that. and different areas in the bowl can hit wildly different temperatures, or stirring the bowl would not ever be needed.(some vapourisers give a more even heating than others i assume), time to combustion affected by initial moisture content and ambient moisture and temperature.
Rainy days make for less perfect vapourising, it seems, do you agree?

sHEDWORK EXPERIMENT-- Take a particulate sensing smoke alarm, vapourise at different temperatures underneath it, being sure to blow each lungfull at the alarm, in fact, dont even inhale, blow it straight at the alrarm with an air pump. increase the temperatures slowly , note down when it goes off ,its sensing particulates as smoke. That is at the point of its combustion. would it work?
 

BleuEyedGuy

Active Member
so the benzene is already present in the air, indoor or outdoor, and it isn't magically appearing from the flower, the vaporizer, or the vaporization of the flower??
 
BleuEyedGuy,

Curious Gorilla

Sounds like something smells purple.
Forgive me if im banging on, I am new to social media and not sure how far down the rabbit hole is acceptable. And please remember some of my information comes from the misdisinformation webnet .
I assumed over boiling terpenes vapourises them and burning them produces benzene. if it starts to boil at 80 celsius, and ignites at 500c. Its bad for you at ambient temperatures, which always seems to be ignored.
From what i read, the benzene is present in ambient air,from mostly man made sources, apart from volcanoes and forest fires, levels are higher inside than outside, and higher near petrol stations(gas stations in the US). The fact its higher near petrol stations indicates that it does not require combustion to volatise (it is a sweet aromatic that is added to fuel,kind of strange, i thought it was also a waste product from oil processing)


main-qimg-083b50739ee75fde795bf34564736047-lq

from https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/benzene-benzol-properties-d_2053.html

Gaseous phase at 288.9c. It autoignites at 498c / 928f .

Doesnt mean vapourising is totaly safe (I personaly find aluminium a VERY questionable choice due to material science), but its way less toxic than driving through a city centre for 10 minutes. At least, id rather suck on a vapouriser for ten minutes than an exhaust pipe.

I was going to cut all this bit of rant out, but some may find it relavant. Let me know if its too much, for future reference and not boring others, I really am new to this posting stuff.


Even benzene from cigarettes probably causes an increase in benzene partly from burning whats in the air, so if you do smoke tobacco, it will be healthier outside , unless your near traffic, which is actualy the main cause of benzene pollution, thats why they put more in the crappy e10 petrol Burning anything increases benzene levels . It is in the top 20 produced chemicals in the USA. It is a huge money making industry all on its own.
Found this --
"Environmental exposures among the general population are much lower than occupational exposures, ranging from <1 to 10 ppb with the primary environmental benzene sources being mobile emissions and cigarette smoke (both for smokers and environmental tobacco smoke)."
Notice the term 'mobile emmissions'? Cars,trucks,buses, planes, boats, tractors, ect.
So, much like plastic recycling, where most of the plastic is sent to asia to be burned, and the plastic industry just increased its output to overtake even the lies about recycling plastic. But we are supposedly responsible for it? Same as with benzene and tobacco. We breath out CO2 and they tell us its a pollutant, then they put more of a known carcinogen in petrol to make more money and we are told to suck it up cause its good for the enviroment, and that really all the health problems are from tobbaco and second hand tobacco smoke.(I have never smoked cigarettes myself, lots of joints with some tobacco in tho.) People have forgotten about industry and government putting lead in petrol and poisoning the entire world population for years.
Its all slight of hand and nonscience from our global masters.

Will stop now. My meds have finaly arrived.(could you tell I had run out?) Going to suck on some high temperature vapour from my benzene free La Sage and kill some pain. yumyumyum.
 

Curious Gorilla

Sounds like something smells purple.
@ Black_prrl. Nice design vapourisers, love the wood. Have you considered ziricote, or is it not safe for human lips?
 
Curious Gorilla,

Black_Prrl

Manufacturer of the Neo and Terp Surfer
Manufacturer
so the benzene is already present in the air, indoor or outdoor, and it isn't magically appearing from the flower, the vaporizer, or the vaporization of the flower??
@BleuEyedGuy Yes, as @Curious Gorilla points out in the referred studies, benzene is in the air around us--some from natural sources, but mostly from human sources. They are dominant in VOCs that were prevalent in the news a while back. They are part of the "off gassing" smells of a new memory foam mattress, carpeting, or other product that contains various solvents, glues, plastics, etc. When combined with less air circulation, there are much higher concentrations of benzene indoors. So, those of you who are into huffing that new car smell, beware. 😉

Benzene "rings" are a common chemical structure consisting of 6 carbon atoms in a generally stable circular pattern. Benzene as a liquid or vapor are these isolated rings and has been shown to be toxic.

However, these rings often have additional atoms that attach to them, creating unique molecules that are not necessarily toxic. They are found in numerous organic compounds--including aromatics like terpenes. It's important to note that the presence of a benzene ring in a molecule doesn't mean that it will behave like benzene. It's an entirely different compound. However, when one of these molecules breaks down, such as in the presence of heat, it can release the ring--and thus, creating benzene vapor.

The question before us is how much heat is needed before the organic molecules break down? The Gieringer study seems to show that there is an increase in benzene formation above 200℃. However, just like evaporation, it's easy to imagine that there is some chemical decomposition at lower temps, but accelerates at higher temps.

Combustion is a violent process that rips these molecules apart, decreasing the amount of THC, terpenes, and other cannabinoids while generating toxic gasses in addition to ash and tars. At the same time, the smell of a campfire on a cold evening in a cave can't really be beat...🔥


@ Black_prrl. Nice design vapourisers, love the wood. Have you considered ziricote, or is it not safe for human lips?

Thanks!... Our Neo "atomizer" is made from ceramic zirconia--the hardest and most thermally efficient ceramic known. It's related to zircon "fake diamonds". We chose wood for our pipes for both aesthetic and functional considerations. We love the warm, organic feel of wood which balances the titanium, zirconia, and quartz. The glow from the Neo also pairs well with wood, invoking that campfire feel but without the smoke and ash.

From a functional standpoint, we chose wood because it's a great insulator. Thus, there isn't much condensation of the vapor and you get more of the terps and cannabinoids into your lungs. Premature condensation in other vaporizers with metal or glass pathways is what creates all of the gunk you end up cleaning out.

I don't know much about zircote wood, but it sounds unique and interesting. One of the things we're careful about is making sure that we choose woods that have few oils in them--or just nut/fruit oils. The hot vapor could potentially volatilize those wood oils, tainting your vapor. Imagine what eucalyptus would taste like... Ewww... 😵‍💫
 
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Grass Yes

Yes
Staff member
sHEDWORK EXPERIMENT-- Take a particulate sensing smoke alarm, vapourise at different temperatures underneath it, being sure to blow each lungfull at the alarm, in fact, dont even inhale, blow it straight at the alrarm with an air pump. increase the temperatures slowly , note down when it goes off ,its sensing particulates as smoke. That is at the point of its combustion. would it work?
This is not at all accurate. You can cause enough particulate reflection to activate a smoke alarm using pure water steam. A smoke alarm is not a good way to detect combustion. Ash is your best indicator.
 

Farid

Well-Known Member
Glad to see more refutation of that chart.

The only thing I'd push back on is the notion localized overheating is what causes poor flavor in some conduction vapes.

I think the bigger contributor is the fact that the herb is being heated for a long time prior to inhalation. An instantly heating conduction vaporizer does not suffer nearly as bad as one which takes a minute to heat up.

To use your cart example, the first hits generally taste much better, but as the oil gets heated repeatedly, the flavor degrades. The direct contact between the heater and the oil isn't responsible, it's the repeated heating of the oil.
 
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Farid,
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Abysmal Vapor

Supersniffer 2000 - robot fart detection device
how does benzene form from vaporizing cannabis if only a stainless steel heater is used to heat the air?
Terpene pyrolisis ,some have very low flashpoints !
 
Abysmal Vapor,

BleuEyedGuy

Active Member
NOT the same as vaporizing cannabis flower that hasn't been "processed" with butane

"dabbing" BHO, Butane Hash Oil, under real-world conditions, at high temperature, E-nail users posting online cite a preferred temperature around 710 °F (378 °C), but cite a range from 340–482 °C

Methacrolein, benzene, and several other products of concern to human health were formed under the conditions that simulated real-world dabbing


In particular, the practice of “dabbing” with butane hash oil has emerged with great popularity in states that have legalized cannabis. Despite their growing popularity, the degradation product profiles of these new products have not been extensively investigated. The study herein focuses on the chemistry of myrcene and other common terpenes found in cannabis extracts. Methacrolein, benzene, and several other products of concern to human health were formed under the conditions that simulated real-world dabbing. The terpene degradation products observed are consistent with those reported in the atmospheric chemistry literature.
 
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Abysmal Vapor

Supersniffer 2000 - robot fart detection device
NOT the same as vaporizing cannabis flower that hasn't been "processed" with butane

"dabbing" BHO, Butane Hash Oil, under real-world conditions, at high temperature, E-nail users posting online cite a preferred temperature around 710 °F (378 °C), but cite a range from 340–482 °C

Methacrolein, benzene, and several other products of concern to human health were formed under the conditions that simulated real-world dabbing


In particular, the practice of “dabbing” with butane hash oil has emerged with great popularity in states that have legalized cannabis. Despite their growing popularity, the degradation product profiles of these new products have not been extensively investigated. The study herein focuses on the chemistry of myrcene and other common terpenes found in cannabis extracts. Methacrolein, benzene, and several other products of concern to human health were formed under the conditions that simulated real-world dabbing. The terpene degradation products observed are consistent with those reported in the atmospheric chemistry literature.
"".34 Benzene, alkyl benzenes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are known to form during terpene thermolysis. For example, benzene has been observed as a degradation product in the synthesis of myrcene by the pyrolysis of β-pinene,35 and it is also a product of solanesol pyrolysis.
. Info can be used to our purpose ,for sure the study isnt for herb scenarios,..
NVM
 
Abysmal Vapor,

staircase slight of hand

Well-Known Member
"dabbing" BHO, Butane Hash Oil, under real-world conditions, at high temperature, E-nail users posting online cite a preferred temperature around 710 °F (378 °C), but cite a range from 340–482 °C

Well, this “data” sure sounds scientifically relevant. Ok, back to dabbing at my totally real temp preference of 69420 Kelvin.
 
staircase slight of hand,

BleuEyedGuy

Active Member
Well, this “data” sure sounds scientifically relevant. Ok, back to dabbing at my totally real temp preference of 69420 Kelvin.

Exactly my point, the benzene is from the butane used in the BHO processs, combined with a Very High Temp, between 750 - 932 degrees, neither of which occur when vaporizing flower.

Strongin and his team found that the terpenes did not release high levels of dangerous chemicals at low temperatures. But when they were heated above about 750 degrees, they released methacrolein, a chemical similar to the carcinogen acrolein. At about 932 degrees, the terpenes began to release significant levels of benzene, Strongin said. Though the levels were not as high as those found in cigarettes, they were far greater than levels found in the air, Strongin said.

"It's not a huge amount of benzene, but any benzene ingestion is concerning," he said.


 

Black_Prrl

Manufacturer of the Neo and Terp Surfer
Manufacturer
Nice write up, thank you for that. It's always driven me crazy how people who go on about the science of vaping talk only about temperature and ignore time and pressure.

As a former aerospace engineer, I apologize if the following is going too far:

Pressure is an interesting consideration. While atmospheric pressure surely has some affect, there is a larger pressure drop right at the herb in most convection and conduction vaporizers. This depends somewhat on the configuration of the airflow through the chamber.

The decrease in pressure is due to Bernoulli's Principle which states that there is a drop in static pressure when a fluid's speed increases. (it's why an airplane's wings generate lift.) So, when you load the chamber with herb and TAMP it, this will restrict the airflow just like narrowing a pipe, which increases the speed of the air between the herb particles, lowering the pressure, which increases the efficiency of vaporization. Phew! There's a lot going on at very small scales!

Air will flow along the path of least resistance. So, tamping is also important to remove any larger channels that create uneven flow. If you're new to vaporization, don't just throw a nug into the chamber and expect decent results. It's hard to make coffee with unground beans. Same principle.
 

invertedisdead

PHASE3
Manufacturer
Vaporizing dried cannabis flower is more similar to the wet towel analogy than to the pot of boiling water. All of the small plant cellulose fibers form an effective wicking matrix for the essential oils and cannabinoids to travel along. When hot air or hot chamber walls come into contact with the trichomes, those melt and a mixture of different plant oils and lipids spread along the fibers, increasing the exposed surface area of the fluid — whereupon they readily evaporate. Except at a very small scale, there just isn’t a volume of liquid for significant boiling to occur.

I’ve been wanting to make a vape mythology thread for a while, so I’m definitely stoked to see this! :rockon:

I’d have to question that what is occurring here is just the effect of surface level evaporation, as I have to bring the temperature of the entire exposed plant mass up to homogeneity to achieve significant extraction and force the phase change, which suggests boiling phenomenon occurrence to me.

In fact, regarding surface level evaporation - if you dollop concentrate directly onto dried flower and attempt to use the cellulose plant material itself as a wick, you’ll notice those saturated spots on the surface actually struggle to vaporize compared to the rest of the surrounding material.

Take the wet towel analogy, only instead of setting it up in the wind, put it directly in the hamper and instead of quickly drying it stays wet for 2 days. Thus the quick drying of the towel being more so influenced by hypothetical convection airflow of a windy day than simply the high surface area available for evaporation. The high surface area and material permeability would of course influence the convection effect.

IMO surface level evaporation is what is responsible for THC extraction below the critical point, which is what makes “low temp vaping” possible - but inefficient/incomplete from an extraction standpoint.

:leaf:
 

Curious Gorilla

Sounds like something smells purple.
Wow. I have spent frustrating months looking for good info online to help stay the course(fuck combustion) and finding it lacking.
I have seen interestring things here before , why i signed up yesterday. Feel uplifted, relieved, humbled, like i need to do more research and wish I had slept last night so i dont have to re-read everything 4 times. Useful information and thoughtfull discussion. Dont see enough of it online or elseware. Thankyou. And for legitamatley being able to say Fuck, without getting in trouble. Now got to re read it all.
May be some time, May fall to sleep on keyboard..........drooooool
 
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