Autoclave Autoclave An autoclave is a pressure chamber used to carry out industrial processes requiring elevated temperature and pressure different from ambient air pressure. Autoclaves are used in medical applications to perform sterilization and in the chemical industry to cure coatings and vulcanize rubber and for hydrothermal synthesis. They are also used in industrial applications, especially regarding composites, see autoclave (industrial). Many autoclaves are used to sterilize equipment and supplies by subjecting them to pressurized saturated steam at 121 °C (249 °F) for around 15–20 minutes depending on the size of the load and the contents. The autoclave was invented by
Sterilization (microbiology) to by the name of its dimer, dinitrogen tetroxide (NO). Additionally, the low levels of concentration required, coupled with the high vapour pressure, assures that no condensation occurs on the devices being sterilized. This means that no aeration of the devices is required immediately following the sterilization cycle. NO is also less corrosive than other sterilant gases, and is compatible with most medical materials and adhesives. The most-resistant organism (MRO) to sterilization with NO gas is the spore of "Geobacillus stearothermophilus", which is the same MRO for both steam and hydrogen peroxide sterilization processes. The spore form of "G. stearothermophilus"