15 mL Conical Centrifuge Tubes with Red HDPE Screw Caps — Polystyrene, Non-Sterile, 1,000/Bag (240-2448-R50)
These 15 mL conical centrifuge tubes pair a crystal-clear polystyrene (PS) tube body with a red high-density polyethylene (HDPE) screw cap, supplied unassembled in a 1,000/Bag bulk format for clinical and research laboratories. The standard 17 × 120 mm conical geometry fits 15 mL rotor positions across all major centrifuge platforms, and the threaded HDPE cap forms a positive torque-seal to prevent leakage during routine centrifugation. Supplied non-sterile, each bag contains 1,000 tubes and 1,000 caps separately, allowing staff to label and sort before assembly at the point of use.
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Part Number (MPN) | 240-2448-R50 |
| Tube Volume | 15 mL |
| Tube Dimensions | 17 × 120 mm |
| Tube Bottom Geometry | Conical |
| Tube Material | Polystyrene (PS) |
| Tube Color | Natural (clear) |
| Cap Material | High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) |
| Cap Color | Red |
| Cap Type | Threaded Screw Cap |
| Assembly State | Unassembled — 1,000 tubes + 1,000 caps per Bag |
| Sterility | Non-Sterile |
| Pack Size | 1,000/Bag |
| BPA / Phthalate | BPA-free; no phthalate plasticizers |
| Country of Origin | USA |
Applications
- Cell pelleting and density-gradient separations in swing-bucket and fixed-angle rotors
- Clinical specimen processing and STAT sample triage — red caps support color-coded urgent workflow flagging without secondary labeling
- Supernatant harvesting and sample storage where direct visual inspection of pellet formation and fill volume is required
- Biobanking and aliquot preparation in bulk-throughput laboratory environments
- General conical centrifugation across research, pharmaceutical, and hospital laboratory settings
Compatibility
The standard 17 × 120 mm conical format of these tubes seats in 15 mL rotor positions across all major centrifuge platforms. Confirmed compatible platforms include the Thermo Fisher Sorvall™ ST16R, Legend X1R, and CL10 (with Fiberlite™ F15-6×100y rotor, using conical adapter or flat-bottom well as required), the Eppendorf® 5810R and 5804R fitted with the A-4-81 swing-bucket rotor (standard 15 mL adapter), and Beckman Coulter® centrifuges accepting standard 15 mL conical positions. Always confirm the maximum rated g-force and rotor capacity in your instrument manual before committing to a large-volume purchase, as rotor configurations vary by model generation.
Chemical Resistance
| Reagent / Condition | Tube Body (PS) | Cap (HDPE) |
|---|---|---|
| Aqueous buffers / saline / PBS | Excellent | Excellent |
| Dilute acids and bases | Good | Excellent |
| Ethanol ≤70% | Not recommended | Good — short-term contact |
| Acetone | Not recommended | Not recommended |
| Chloroform / aromatic solvents | Not recommended | Limited — avoid prolonged contact |
| Autoclaving | Not suitable | Not suitable |
Polystyrene provides excellent optical clarity for visual assessment of aqueous and biological samples but is not resistant to alcohols above 70%, ketones, or chlorinated and aromatic solvents. For workflows requiring solvent exposure or autoclaving, consider the polypropylene-based family members available from the same Caplugs® Evergreen line.
Quality & Procurement
Made in USA, these Caplugs® Evergreen centrifuge tubes are manufactured from virgin, BPA-free, phthalate-free resins under ISO 9001 quality management, ensuring consistent dimensional tolerances and cap-thread engagement across every unit in the bag. LabSupplies.com is an authorized Caplugs® Evergreen dealer and ships from USA inventory, typically same business day for stocking items. Tiered pricing is available for high-volume institutional, hospital, and grant-funded accounts. The 240-2448-R50 is part of a broader tube family — including natural-cap (240-2448-050), green-cap (240-2448-G50), and PPC natural-tube variants — enabling single-vendor procurement across cap colors and tube materials.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these centrifuge tubes sterile?
No — they are supplied non-sterile. The tubes and caps arrive unassembled in a single bag, which allows for flexible labeling and sorting before use; however, applications requiring sterility would need an alternative sterile-packaged product.
Why are the tubes and caps shipped unassembled?
Unassembled packaging gives laboratory staff the flexibility to label tube bodies, color-sort caps, or pre-aliquot samples before sealing — a workflow advantage in high-throughput clinical and research environments where batch organization happens prior to centrifugation.
What is the red cap used for in clinical workflows?
Red caps are widely used for color-coded STAT and urgent specimen flagging, enabling visual triage prioritization on busy processing benches without applying secondary labels to every tube. The red HDPE cap on these tubes supports that convention out of the box.
Are these tubes compatible with Eppendorf and Beckman Coulter centrifuges?
Yes — the standard 17 × 120 mm conical geometry fits 15 mL rotor positions on Eppendorf® 5810R/5804R (A-4-81 swing-bucket rotor) and Beckman Coulter® platforms, among others. Always verify the maximum rated g-force and adapter requirements in your specific instrument manual before use.