A vacuum desiccator is a specialized piece of laboratory equipment used for drying and preserving moisture-sensitive samples or materials. It consists of a sealed container made of glass, plastic or stainless steel with an airtight lid that can be tightly secured to maintain a vacuum inside the container. The interior of the container typically contains a platform or shelf upon which the samples can be placed.

The vacuum desiccator works by removing air and moisture from the container to create a low-pressure environment that is devoid of moisture. A vacuum pump is used to evacuate the air from the container, which causes any remaining moisture to evaporate from the samples. Once the desired level of vacuum is reached, the desiccator is sealed with a stopcock or other valve to maintain the low-pressure environment.

The samples can be monitored for dryness by weighing them periodically, and the vacuum can be adjusted as necessary to maintain the desired level of dryness. A desiccant material, such as silica gel or activated charcoal, is often placed in the desiccator to absorb any residual moisture that may be present.

Vacuum desiccators are commonly used in chemistry, biology, and materials science research to preserve samples that are sensitive to moisture or oxidation. They are also used in industry for quality control and product testing purposes.