Ultra and High Performance Centrifuges

Centrifuges are devices for separating particles from a heterogeneous mixture. Fundamental to separation is the increase in the effective gravitational force by spinning the sample in the single cavity or the tubes of a rotor as the ‘mobile part’ of a centrifuge. Subjected to the respective centrifugal force thus applied, the individual constituents of a sample will differentially sediment according to their physical properties as well as the density and viscosity of the sample solution.

Ultracentrifuges are optimised for spinning a rotor at very high speeds generating centrifugal forces as high as 1 000 000g. They are used in biology for the fractionation of fine particulate samples such as tissue homogenates aiming to isolate subcellular organelles, macromolecules, bacteria or viruses.