Crack-resistant tubes for centrifugation

From: Raji Edayathumangalam
Date: 31 January 2012 16:59

Hi Folks, 

Are you any favorite brands out there for crack-resistant 50mL centrifugation tubes. It seems we are having recurring episodes of Falcon and Corning tubes cracking even at 9,000 rpm, which is the maximum speed possible with our rotor. I have used Falcon tubes for years in the past without problems and I want to be able to spin down bacterial lysates without a mess.

Any suggestions for tubes that have worked well in your experience?

Thanks,

Raji

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Raji Edayathumangalam

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From: Bosch, Juergen

To how many g does your 9000 rpm translate ? Perhaps that's the problem ?

10 minutes @ 5000xg for pelleting cells is more than enough in my opinion.

Jürgen

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From: Raji Edayathumangalam

9000 rpm translates to 13,000 g on this centrifuge/rotor. 

I am not referring to pelleting bacterial cells. My question is about centrifuging bacterial lysates and some recommendations for sturdy tubes.

Thanks.

Raji

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From: Bosch, Juergen

Sorry I misunderstood that, I thought you wanted to pellet cells.

Well in that case my reply would have been get some 50ml Nalgene tubes (I think they are good to 50000xg) for an SS-34 rotor and spin your lysate at the maximum g force you can get for 30 minutes to get a good pellet. This will obviously not work with Falcon tubes though.

Regarding the Falcon tubes I think you are pretty much at the limit I think the BD ones are only good for 10000xg.

Jürgen

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From: Martin Hällberg

Raji, we use the 50 ml Cornings up to 25K RCF in our F13S-14x50cy rotor without leakage so it could be a batch specific problem with your Corning tubes. Try to talk to Piramoon or one their resellers (Thermo?) in your country if they have some batches of 50 ml tubes in stock that they can guarantee will not leak in your application.

http://www.piramoon.com/product_specs_hs.php?pid=50

Best regards,

Martin

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From: Artem Evdokimov

In our hands the polyethylene tubes work even at 11krpm or over 30kg forces. But NOT polycarbonate ones.