Ultracentrifuge

The ultracentrifuge is a centrifuge optimized for high speeds, which can produce accelerations up to 106 g. Ultracentrifuge rotate very fast - up to 500,000 times a minute. The rotor moves in this case in a vacuum, so that no air resistance occurs.

The (analytical ) ultracentrifuge was developed in the mid 1920s by The Svedberg, who determined the sedimentation of macromolecules and thus their approximate molecular mass with her.

Construction

Ultra centrifuges are of a drive system, cooling (or even heating ) constructed vacuum pumps ( positive displacement pumps and the oil diffusion pump ), sensors and armor. The rotors for the ultracentrifuge usually consist of an aluminum or titanium alloy or a fiber -plastic composite. There will be both fixed-angle rotors, and vertical rotors and swing- use.

Ultracentrifugation

The use of the ultracentrifuge is called ultracentrifugation. A distinction is made between preparative and analytical ultracentrifugation:

Examples for use in biochemistry

• For the isolation of lipoprotein ( density gradient )
• As a cleaning step for the isolation of virus and virus - like particles, which are necessary for research, or as starting materials (antigens) in the manufacture of diagnostic tests, ( density gradient )

• Centrifuge