【Article overview】Ampoules are sealable pharmaceutical glass containers that can be categorized into colored-ring ampoules and colored-dot ampoules. They are commonly used for storing injectable medications, vaccines, serums, and the like. Ampoules are made by firing glass tubing and are widely employed for high-purity chemical substances that require injection and isolation from air.

　　Ampoules are sealable pharmaceutical glass containers, which can be categorized into colored-ring ampoules and colored-dot ampoules. They are commonly used for storing injectable medications, vaccines, serums, and the like.

　　Ampoules are made by firing glass tubes and are widely used for injectables and highly pure chemicals that require isolation from air. To seal the ampoule against air, the tip is flame-sealed for a few minutes. The neck of the ampoule is marked with colored rings or dots; applying pressure to the neck will cause it to fracture, thereby releasing the medication prematurely.

　　Using ampoules: Ampoules are small glass containers used for storing liquid medications. Their capacity typically ranges from 1 to 25 milliliters and they are commonly used for pharmaceutical solutions. Before opening, use a grinding wheel to remove any scratches from the neck of the ampoule and disinfect the neck area. Then, hold the ampoule with the tip pointing upward, gently pull the top part upward until all the liquid has flowed completely into the ampoule, and finally snap off the neck at the marked break point. For folding-type ampoules, the manufacturer has already pre-cut a notch on the neck at the designated location; simply fold the ampoule along this notch in the direction indicated.

　　Ampoules, also known as glass injection vials or glass antibiotic bottles, are frequently used as vials for antibiotics such as penicillin; hence, they are also referred to as glass penicillin vials and penicillin glass bottles. They are also employed for lyophilized products and are sometimes called freeze-dried glass vials, fractional needle vials, or water-injection vials.

　　In recent years, with the overall improvement of China’s pharmaceutical packaging material manufacturers, enterprises have seen significant progress in terms of scale, production technology, management level, and product quality. There are many types of ampoules; let me explain them one by one.

　　1. Material Classification

　　They are primarily divided into neutral borosilicate glass amplifiers and low-borosilicate glass amplifiers, distinguished by the boron oxide content of the glass. Neutral silica glass ampoules have a boron oxide content of 8% to 12%, offering stable chemical properties; however, they are relatively expensive in both domestic and international markets. Consequently, only certain products incorporate a lower boron oxide content of 5% to 8%, which is more affordable and thus enjoys higher market coverage both domestically and internationally.

　　2. Classified by product shape

　　They can be categorized into four types: Type B, Type C, Type D, and Type E. Pharmaceutical companies can select the appropriate vial type based on the requirements and characteristics of their production lines. Types B and C have relatively lower environmental requirements for production, while ampoules of Types D and E do not require customers to clean them—sealed ampoules can be directly opened on the filling line. These types have higher hygiene standards, and currently in China, only one or two companies are capable of producing them.

　　3. Categorize using simple analytical methods

　　These can be categorized into three types: dot-etching analysis, color-ring analysis, and circular-cutting analysis. Of these three simple analytical methods, the first two are more commonly used in China. However, with the growing emphasis on differentiation and personalization, marble engraving for colored rings (including decorative rings) is gradually gaining acceptance among domestic consumers. Moreover, international pharmaceutical companies have also adopted a new ring-shaped cutting and engraving technique. Yet this method places stringent demands on the dimensions of glass tubes, bottle manufacturing processes, and charging equipment. Additionally, most ampoules are colorless; brown-glass ampoules are predominantly used for drugs that are sensitive to light. However, brown ampoules contain iron oxide, which can degrade certain active ingredients in the medication, thus limiting their scope of application.