How to Choose the Right Centrifuge Tube?

Centrifugal technology is mainly used for the separation and preparation of various biological samples. The suspension of biological samples is held in a centrifuge tube under high-speed rotation, and due to the action of the huge centrifugal force, the suspended tiny particles settle down at a certain speed, so as to be separated from the solution. As one of the essential consumables in centrifuge experiment, centrifuge tubes vary greatly in quality and performance. So what factors do we need to pay attention to when choosing a centrifuge tube?

Capacity

Centrifuge tubes are available in capacities of 1.5mL, 2mL, 10mL, 15mL, and 50mL, with the more commonly used ones being 15mL centrifuge tube and 50mL centrifuge tube. It is important to note that when using a centrifuge tube, do not fill it to the top or it will leak. Fill it up to 3/4 of the tube (Note: During ultracentrifugation, the tube must be filled with liquid because ultracentrifugation requires a high vacuum, and only by filling it up can you avoid deforming the tube). It is also important to make sure that the tube is not underfilled with solution. This will ensure that the experiment runs smoothly.

Chemical Compatibility

Glass centrifuge tube: The centrifugal force should not be too large when using glass tubes, and rubber pads are needed to prevent the tubes from breaking.

Steel centrifuge tubes: Steel centrifuge tubes are strong, non-deformable and resistant to heat, frost and chemical corrosion.

Plastic centrifuge tube: commonly used materials such as polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), polycarbonate (PC), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Among them, centrifuge tubes made of PP polypropylene are popular because they can withstand high speeds, are autoclavable, and are resistant to most organic solutions.

Relative Centrifugal Force

A centrifuge tube has a maximum speed that it can withstand. When looking at the operating rate of a tube, it is best to look at the RCF (Relative Centrifugal Force) rather than the RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) because the RCF (Relative Centrifugal Force) takes gravity into account. The RPM only takes into account the speed of rotation of the rotor.

So, when choosing a centrifuge tube, figure out the maximum centrifugal force you need in order to find the right tube. If you don't need a high RPM, you can choose a tube with a low relative centrifugal force to reduce the purchase cost.