Centrifuge
- The Centrifuge is used to rapidly sedimentation of particles, such as cells, which may be suspended in a fluid.
- The principle is that the centrifuge exerts a centrifugal force (CF) which is greater than that of gravity and causes paticles in a fluid to sediment.
- The greater the centrifugal force, the faster and more effective is the sedimentation.
Centrifuge types:
Different types of centrifuges designed for various purposes.
- Fixed-Angle Centrifuge: In this type, the tubes or containers are fixed at a specific angle relative to the rotation axis. They are great for separating particles based on their density, as the sedimentation occurs in a fixed direction.
- Swinging-Bucket Centrifuge: Unlike fixed-angle centrifuges, swinging-bucket centrifuges have buckets that swing out as the centrifuge spins. This swinging motion helps to keep the sample upright during centrifugation, which is beneficial for delicate samples.
- Ultracentrifuge: Ultracentrifuges are high-speed centrifuges capable of spinning at very high speeds, often exceeding 100,000 revolutions per minute (rpm). They are used for separating very small particles or molecules, such as proteins, DNA, and viruses, with extreme precision.
- Refrigerated Centrifuge: These centrifuges have cooling mechanisms that maintain low temperatures during operation. They are used for samples that are sensitive to heat or need to be kept cold to maintain their integrity.
- Microcentrifuge: Microcentrifuges are smaller centrifuges designed for handling smaller volumes of samples, typically in the range of microliters. They are commonly used in molecular biology and biochemistry for quick spins of small samples, like DNA or RNA.
- Haematology
