Difference between Plastic Centrifuge Tube and Glass Centrifuge Tube

Many people generally believed that plastic centrifuge tubes can withstand higher speed requirements and that their safety performance is far better than that of glass tubes. But when we choose a tube, should we use a plastic centrifuge tube or a glass centrifuge tube? Here are some introduces about the difference between these two products.

50ml centrifuge Tube Sterilized 15ml centrifuge Tube Sterilized

Different materials of the plastic and glass centrifuge tube:

Glass centrifuge tubes materials:

  • This is mainly due to material issues, as there may be debris in the centrifuge tube into the organic solution, or organic leakage due to sealing issues with the tube cap. Therefore, many people consider the use of glass tubes at this time
  • But due to the material properties of glass itself, the application of high-speed glass tubes is limited.
  • Typically, glass tubes can withstand a maximum speed of about 4000 rpm. Therefore, if required higher speeds, only use plastic tubes
  • The composition of glass is different, and its strength is also different. Ordinary soda glass cannot withstand a relative centrifugal force (RCF) of more than 3000g, while borosilicate glass (such as Corex glass) can withstand a centrifugal acceleration (RCF) of more than 10000g, depending on the composition of the glass.

Plastic centrifuge tubes materials:

  1. The lab plastic centrifuge tubes are transparent polymer material polypropylene (PP), which is widely for molecular biology, clinical chemistry, and biochemical research.
  2. In all sizes, like 50mL centrifuge tubes, the cover and body are made of polypropylene.

Different features of the plastic and glass centrifuge tubes:

Plastic centrifuge tubes features:

  1. Black or white silk-screen scale with a clear scale. Large white marked area.
  2. One-handed operation, easy rotation of the tube cover, and good sealing performance.
  3. It can withstand the centrifugal force of 12000xg.
  4. The temperature range is -80°C to 120°C.
  5. EO or gamma-ray sterilization, non-sterilization optional.
  6. Free of pyrogen, DNase, and RNase.

Glass centrifuge tube features:

  • Glass centrifuge tubes can accommodate organic solvents, enzyme solutions, salt solutions, common aqueous solutions, etc.
  • But in some specific experiments, such as adding some organic solvents, ordinary use of glass tubes.

Different use methods of the plastic and glass centrifuge tube:

Glass centrifuge tubes use methods :

  • Centrifuge glass tubes and centrifuge bottles can be placed in the tube wells of the centrifuge rotor. The difference between a tube and a bottle is the shape, which can collectively refer to as a centrifuge tube.
  • There are many kinds of tube materials to manufacture laboratory centrifuges, but each material has different corrosion resistance to various solutions.
  • The way glass test tubes are also important. It is best to place it in a softer rubber pad or adapter to avoid the glass tube directly on a hard metal surface and breaking when subjected to centrifugal force.

Plastic centrifuge tube use methods :

  • Using small amounts of the sample may be lost by sample adsorption on glass surfaces, so special care must be taken.
  • Due to the stable structure of plastic, it is the best material for the tubes in laboratory centrifuges and has the best corrosion resistance.

There are more introduces about the types of centrifuge tubes, the centrifuge tube volume, etc.