Polycarbonate Centrifuge Bottle

What is the Polycarbonate Centrifuge Bottle?

A polycarbonate centrifuge bottle is a clear, tough vessel rated for high g forces in preparative centrifugation. It allows the contents and any pellet to be seen, and is rated for high-speed rotors.

Overview

The bottle is moulded from polycarbonate with a screw cap and often a sealing cap for aerosol containment, and is rated for 3000–50,000 × g depending on size and rotor. Transparent walls let the operator see phase separation and the pellet, which is useful for cell, protein and density gradient work. Polycarbonate is tough but sensitive to environmental stress cracking from alkalis, some detergents, hypochlorite and certain solvents, and repeated autoclaving shortens its life. Typical sizes are 10–1000 mL, and bottles must be filled to the level specified by the rotor to avoid collapse. They are used in swinging bucket and fixed angle rotors, and must be balanced within the rotor's tolerance to prevent damage to the centrifuge.

How does it work?

Plasticware works because polymers can be moulded into precise, low-cost shapes and selected for specific properties. Polypropylene resists most acids, bases and solvents, tolerates autoclaving and is translucent but not optically clear, so it is used for beakers, bottles and carboys. Polycarbonate is clear and tough, so it is used for centrifuge bottles where the contents must be seen and the vessel must resist high g forces. Polystyrene is optically clear and rigid, which suits cell culture flasks and dishes, and is supplied sterile and sometimes treated for cell attachment. Polyethylene is flexible and used for wash bottles and tubing. Unlike glass, plastics can adsorb analytes, leach additives such as plasticisers, and scratch, so they are chosen for applications where inertness requirements are lower or where disposability reduces contamination risk.

What are the key features?

• Moulded polycarbonate, transparent
• Rated 3000–50,000 × g
• Sizes 10–1000 mL
• Screw cap with sealing option
• Visible pellet and phase boundary
• Sensitive to alkalis and hypochlorite

What are the technical specifications?

A typical polycarbonate centrifuge bottle configuration offers material of Polycarbonate, capacity range of 10–1000 mL, max g force of 3000–50,000 × g, clarity of Transparent, closure of Screw cap, sealing option and autoclavable of Limited cycles. Values are indicative of the product class; the exact figures for each configuration are confirmed on the quotation and the calibration documents supplied with the instrument.

Which applications is it used for?

The Polycarbonate Centrifuge Bottle is used in cell pelleting, protein precipitation, density gradient separation and culture harvest. Across the wider Plasticware class, laboratories also deploy it for reagent and buffer storage, cell culture and microbiology and centrifugation.

Which standards and certifications apply?

Relevant standards and methods include USP <661> (plastic components and systems), USP <88> (biological reactivity tests), ISO 10993 (biological evaluation of medical devices), ISO 13485 (medical device quality management), EN ISO 11607 (packaging for terminally sterilized devices) and ISO 11737 (sterilization of health care products). Certification candidates for this model are CE and ISO 9001 manufacturing; each is to be confirmed for the specific configuration before shipment, and certificates are supplied only where they have been issued.

Confirm the maximum temperature and autoclave compatibility of each polymer before use, since polypropylene tolerates about 121 °C and polystyrene does not. Avoid strong oxidising acids and solvents that cause environmental stress cracking, and test new polymer and chemical combinations before routine use. Use sterile techniques with culture ware and keep packaging intact until use, and do not reuse items intended for single use. Inspect bottles for crazing, cloudiness or odour, which can indicate chemical attack or leaching. Store plastics away from direct sunlight and heat, and keep certificates of analysis and sterility for regulated work. Where adsorption matters, run recovery checks with the analytes and the intended plastic before committing to a method.

How do I select the right Polycarbonate Centrifuge Bottle?

Choose polycarbonate when the pellet or phase boundary must be visible and the g force is high, and keep it away from alkalis and hypochlorite. RFQ: volume, g rating, rotor compatibility, sealing and temperature. Provide the rotor model and required g rating.

How does it compare with other Plasticware variants?

Choose the polymer from the chemistry, the temperature and the visibility needed. Polypropylene is the general-purpose choice for acids, bases and most solvents, and it can be autoclaved. Use polycarbonate where clarity and impact strength matter, but avoid it with strong alkalis and some solvents that cause stress cracking. Use polystyrene only for aqueous and culture work, since it is attacked by many solvents. Choose sterile, pyrogen-free and cell-culture-treated grades where cells, media or clinical samples are involved, and confirm the certification. Match the volume, closure and centrifuge rating to the application, and check that the resin does not adsorb the analytes of interest. For trace work, ask for leachables and extractables data, and prefer low-binding surfaces for proteins and peptides.