Need help? Call us: +1 416-549-8100 or customerservice@mbpinc.net

Quick Order Contact Us About Us Blogs Sign In

Product Filters

Laboratory Centrifuge Accessories: Rotors, Tube Adapters, and Safety Components

Laboratory centrifuge accessories—replacement fixed-angle and swing-out rotors, tube adapters for multiple formats, aerosol-tight sealed lids for biocontainment, balance tubes, and maintenance lubricants—must be model-specific; rotors are not interchangeable between centrifuge brands or models. A mismatched rotor is a serious safety hazard. MBP stocks centrifuge accessories for research labs across the United States and Canada.

Contact customerservice@mbpinc.net with your centrifuge model number to confirm accessory compatibility and request current pricing.

Laboratory Centrifuge Accessories

Per Page:

Sort By:

C3100-ADP

Adapter pack, for 5ml and 7ml (12-13mm) tubes in 15ml rotors, 8/pk.

List Price:

USD177.59

Online Price:

USD126.85

Your Price:

C3100-130RS

Rotor shields for 130mm tall tubes, 8/pk

List Price:

USD189.79

Online Price:

USD135.57

Your Price:

Showing 1 to 2 of 2 results

What Are Laboratory Centrifuge Accessories?

Laboratory centrifuge accessories are the components that determine a centrifuge's practical versatility, safety profile, and service life: replacement and additional rotors (fixed-angle and swing-out), tube adapters that allow one rotor to process multiple tube formats, aerosol-tight sealed lids and safety buckets for biocontainment during infectious sample centrifugation, rotor lubricants, balance tubes, and replacement O-rings and gaskets. All centrifuge accessories are model-specific—rotors are not interchangeable between manufacturers or between centrifuge models within the same brand, and using an uncertified rotor on any centrifuge is a serious safety hazard.

What You Will Find:

Rotor Shields for 130 mm Tubes: Safe, steady centrifugation for taller tube formats
Adapter Pack for 5 mL and 7 mL Tubes: Perfect fit for 5 mL and 7 mL tubes in 15 mL rotors

How to Choose Laboratory Centrifuge Accessories

Rotor Selection (Fixed-Angle vs. Swing-Out)

If your centrifuge supports interchangeable rotors, specify the rotor type matched to your primary workflows: fixed-angle for molecular biology spin-column kits, pelleting, and bacterial harvesting; swing-out for density gradients, serum preparation, and gentle mammalian cell processing. Confirm the rotor's maximum RCF matches your highest-speed protocol and that the rotor radius is compatible with the centrifuge drive shaft and motor rating.

Tube Adapters

Tube adapters extend a single rotor to accommodate smaller tube formats. When ordering, confirm the adapter's bore inner diameter (ID) matches the outer diameter (OD) of the tube being used, ensure the adapter length seats the tube bottom at the correct radial position within the rotor bore, and verify the adapter material is chemically compatible with your samples. Adapter fit is critical—a loose tube in an adapter creates imbalance and ejection risk at high speed.

Aerosol-Tight Lids and Safety Buckets

Specify aerosol-tight sealed lids for all BSL-2 or higher specimens, human blood specimens, and any sample requiring biocontainment. Inspect O-rings before each run and replace them at the first sign of flattening, cracking, or discoloration. ClickSeal-type lids and equivalent sealed bucket systems provide certified biocontainment up to the rotor's rated maximum RCF.

Lubricants and Maintenance Items

Use only OEM-specified rotor grease (silicone- or PTFE-based) on fixed-angle lid threads and swing-bucket pivot points. Apply a thin layer after each cleaning or autoclaving of swing-bucket components. Never use petroleum-based lubricants, which can degrade centrifuge rotor seals and O-rings over time.

Balance Tubes

Balance tubes (empty, capped, and filled to the same mass as the loaded sample tubes) maintain rotor balance when an odd number of samples is run. Running an unbalanced rotor induces vibration, accelerates bearing wear, and at high speed can cause catastrophic rotor failure. Most centrifuge manufacturers supply balance tubes or specify the tube format and fill volume for balancing.

Specifications Context

Tube adapters must be matched by outer diameter with a tolerance of ≤0.5 mm to prevent movement during spinning. Aerosol-tight rotor lids are pressure-rated; confirm the lid's burst pressure rating exceeds the maximum pressure generated by the rotor at its rated speed before using them for potentially infectious specimens.

Rotor retirement schedules are manufacturer-specified and typically based on cumulative hours at maximum rated RPM. Many aluminum rotors have retirement schedules after several thousand hours at peak speed, regardless of visible condition, because stress-corrosion fatigue is not detectable visually. As of 2026, polypropylene (PP) and HDPE rotor materials have replaced anodized aluminum in several mid-speed rotor lines, improving chemical resistance to salt solutions and acidic buffers that can cause stress corrosion in aluminum.

Contact the expert team at Molecular Biology Products Inc. today and find accessories that integrate perfectly with your centrifuge.

FAQ

Laboratory centrifuge accessories fall into four categories: rotors (fixed-angle and swing-out; the primary performance-determining accessory), tube adapters (reducer inserts that allow one rotor to accept multiple tube formats—0.2 mL PCR, 0.5 mL, 1.5/2.0 mL microtubes, 5–50 mL conicals, microplates), safety components (aerosol-tight sealed lids, ClickSeal or equivalent biocontainment covers for infectious samples, swing-bucket safety lids), and maintenance items (rotor grease/lubricant, balance tubes, replacement O-rings and gaskets). All accessories must be model-specific—never use a rotor or adapter from a different manufacturer or centrifuge model without written OEM compatibility confirmation.

Centrifuge rotors are not interchangeable between manufacturers and are generally specific to individual centrifuge models within the same brand. A rotor designed for an Eppendorf 5810 will not fit an Eppendorf 5424—let alone a centrifuge from a different manufacturer. The drive-shaft coupling, maximum rated RPM, and rotor imbalance tolerance are all model-specific. Using a mismatched rotor is a serious safety hazard: rotor failure at high speed can cause catastrophic centrifuge destruction and serious injury. Always order rotors and adapters with the exact centrifuge model number confirmed.

Tube adapters (also called reducer inserts or adapter inserts) fit inside a rotor tube bore to accommodate tubes smaller than the bore diameter—for example, inserting 1.5 mL microtubes into a rotor designed for 15 mL conicals, or 0.2 mL PCR tubes into a microtube rotor. Adapters must match both the outer bore of the rotor and the outer diameter of the tube being used; a tube that sits loosely in an adapter can eject at high speed and cause rotor imbalance. Confirm adapter dimensions (bore ID, tube OD, and tube length) against the manufacturer's compatibility chart before ordering.

Aerosol-tight rotor lids (also called sealed lids, biocontainment covers, or safety covers) are pressure-resistant enclosures that fit over fixed-angle rotors or individual swing-bucket positions to prevent aerosol release if a tube breaks during centrifugation. They are required for all centrifugation of specimens at BSL-2 or higher biosafety level, any sample suspected or confirmed infectious, and as good laboratory practice for human blood-derived specimens. Inspect sealed lids for cracks and compromised O-rings before each use; replace them at the first sign of damage.

Centrifuge rotors should be replaced based on manufacturer-specified maximum cumulative RPM-hours or cycle counts, or immediately upon observation of visible cracks, pitting, corrosion, or any mechanical damage. Many manufacturers specify rotor retirement at a defined number of hours at maximum rated speed; check the rotor's maintenance log or the OEM documentation for the specific retirement schedule. Aluminum rotors are particularly susceptible to stress corrosion cracking from exposure to salt solutions, chlorinated disinfectants, or acidic buffers—inspect after any chemical spill inside the rotor.

Fixed-angle rotor thread caps require a thin application of manufacturer-specified rotor grease (typically a silicone-based or PTFE-based lubricant) to the lid thread to ensure proper sealing and prevent galling. Swing-bucket rotor bolts and cross-pivot points should be lightly greased per the manufacturer's schedule—typically after each cleaning or autoclaving—to ensure the buckets swing freely. Never substitute general-purpose oils or petroleum-based greases, which can contaminate samples and may degrade rotor seals.

Some laboratory centrifuge rotors and their adapters are autoclavable at 121°C for up to 20 minutes—notably certain Eppendorf fixed-angle aluminum rotors and polypropylene adapter inserts. However, not all rotors are autoclavable; high-temperature sterilization can distort polycarbonate components, degrade O-ring seals, and accelerate metal fatigue in aluminum rotors. Always check the OEM documentation for autoclavability before sterilizing any rotor component; decontamination with 70% ethanol or 10% bleach followed by rinsing with distilled water is the standard method for most rotors.

MBP (mbpinc.net) stocks laboratory centrifuge accessories including rotors, tube adapters, and replacement components for research labs across the United States and Canada. When ordering, provide the centrifuge manufacturer name, model number, and existing rotor part number from the OEM documentation or the rotor label. MBP is a registered vendor to Howard Hughes Medical Institute, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Vanderbilt University and can support institutional purchase orders.

We provide the highest quality of products and anytime customer service.

Featured Categories

Useful Links

+1 416-549-8100

customerservice@mbpinc.net

online payment

fast delivery

technical support

24/7 support