Seton developed and patented* the Easy-Seal tube system to combine the advantages of various ultracentrifuge containers. Easy-Seal tubes can be used in Beckman and selected Sorvall and Kontron rotors at the maximum speed with choice of the appropriate crown assembly. Easy-Seal tubes are essentially thin-wall, flexible bottles sealed with simple hand tools. The tube stem is compressed between a plug and a crown. A large diameter stem allows access to tube contents. Polyclear and autoclavable polyallomer tubes provide choices in chemical properties and clarity and can be punctured and sliced. Easy-Seal tubes can be resealed and reused which is particularly useful for consecutive centrifugations of single samples such as floatation of buoyant molecules or washing of pellets.
Find your rotor in the chart, make your choice of tube material and review the choices of crown in Easy-Seal Crown Assemblies where the maximum speed of each assembly is listed. You will need one crown assembly and one tube for each hole you intend to use in your rotor. Tools for holding and tightening the plugs are shown in Easy-Seal Tools.
*U.S. Patent 4,537,320 and UK Patent GB 2149325 apply.
HOW TO USE
After the Easy-Seal tube is filled, a crown is screwed onto the stem. A plug s screwed into the crown with a hex driver, flaring the stem and making a reliable compression seal. 5/8 and 1” crowns used in fixed-angle rotors can be hand-held when tightened; 7/16 and 1/2” crowns are best held in a vise but are torqued with a hex driver.
After centrifugation the plug is unscrewed. A fraction recovery device can be screwed directly into the crown using the existing flared seal.
Noryl and aluminum crowns and polyallomer tubes can be sterilized by autoclaving or ethylene dioxide gas as an assembly or separated before reuse. Delrin crowns and Polyclear tubes may be sterilized with ethylene dioxide gas or by cold methods (3). All Easy-Seal crowns and tubes are compatible with cesium chloride gradients.
HOW TO ORDER
Complete systems for Beckman vertical and micro-ultra rotors are available. For fixed-angle rotor systems specify the tubes, tools and number of crown assemblies. Examples are:
Noryl (1) crown assemblies may be used with most acids and bases and gradient forming materials within the limits of the centrifuge tube material. Noryl should not be used with solvents or oils such as mineral or paraffin oil overlays. Noryl can be sterilized by autoclaving, ethylene oxide gas or cold soaking methods.
Delrin (2) crown assemblies may be used with most solvents and gradient forming materials within the limits of the centrifuge material. Use with acids and bases is not recommended. Use Delrin with mineral or paraffin overlays or whenever the chemical effects of organic compound on Noryl is suspected. Delrin can be sterilized with ethylene oxide gas or by cold soaking methods (3).
Replacement Parts
Individual replacement parts are available for all assemblies.
Contact Customer Service for PN and prices.
(1) Noryl is a registered trademark of General Electric Co.
(2) Delrin is a registered trademark of E.I. duPont de Nemours & Co.
(3) Aqueous solutions of 70% ethanol, 70% isopropanol or 10% hydrogen peroxide.
CAUTION
+Do not autoclave Delrin crowns
+Do not autoclave Polyclear tubes
+Do not use solvents with Noryl crowns or Polyclear tubes
+Use Delrin crowns for oil overlays
+Use polyallomer tubes for oil overlays