Bead beating can be carried out in a variety of vessels, including tubes, vials, and plates. OPS Diagnostics offers a complete line of grinding vials designed for efficient, reproducible sample homogenization across a wide range of applications.

Our grinding vials are self-standing with a reinforced flat bottom to reduce the risk of cracking during high-impact homogenization, ensuring durability and safety during processing.

Center Diagram

Choosing the Right Grinding Vial:

Several factors should be considered when selecting a grinding vial for your sample processing needs:

  • Vial Material:
    Polycarbonate (PC) is the recommended material due to its superior durability, optical clarity, and impact resistance compared to polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE).
  • Sample Characteristics:
    Temperature-sensitive materials often require cryogenic grinding to prevent degradation. Ensure your chosen vial is rated for low-temperature applications.
  • Sample Volume:
    Avoid overfilling or underfilling vials. Filling outside the recommended working volume can reduce homogenization efficiency and increase the risk of vial damage.
  • Homogenizer Compatibility:
    Not all homogenizers support every vial size. Make sure your equipment can accommodate the vial format you're using.

 

For a detailed comparison of vial types, see the table below or visit our guide: Selecting Grinding Vials for Sample Homogenization

Vial Comparison Table
  Disruption Tube 4 ml Grinding Vial 15 ml Grinding Vial 50 ml Grinding Vial
Feature
Material PP PE
PC
PC PC
Dimensions (in) 0.4 x 1.7 0.5 x 2 1.125 x 1.667 1.125 x 3.5
Bottom Skirted or conical Flat Flat re-enforced Flat re-enforced
Working volume 0.5-0.8 ml 0.5- 2 ml 2-8 ml 9-16 ml
Autoclavable Yes Yes (Both) Yes Yes
Cryogenic Capability Yes Yes (Only PC) Yes Yes
Grinding Media Vary 1 x 3/8" ball 2 x 7/16" balls 2 x 7/16" balls
2 x 9/16" balls
Sample Capacity
Plant Tissue up to 100 mg 100-200 mg Up to 1 gm 1-3 gm
Seeds - ≤ 500 mg (1 kernel)   ≤ 4 gm (≈10 kernels)   4-8 gm (≈22 kernels)
Animal Tissue Up to 100 mg 100-200 mg Up to 2 gm 2-4 gm
Disruption Tubes
0.5 ml Skirted Disruption Tubes

Tubes are sold in bags of 500 capped tubes. 

Non-sterile

$180.00
15 ml Vial (Polycarbonate, Lined Caps)
15 ml Polycarbonate Vials with Lined Polypropylene Screw Caps

100 Polycarbonate Replacement Vials with Lined Caps

$290.00
15 ml Vial (Polycarbonate, Unlined Caps)
15 ml Polycarbonate Vials with Unlined Polypropylene Screw Caps

100 Polycarbonate Replacement Vials with Unlined Caps

$275.00
4 ml Vial (Polycarbonate, Lined Caps)
4 ml Polycarbonate Vials with Lined Polypropylene Screw Caps

240 Polycarbonate Replacement Vials with Lined Caps

$258.00
4 ml PC Vial (Polycarbonate, Unlined Caps)
4 ml Polycarbonate Vials with Unlined Polypropylene Screw Caps

240 Polycarbonate Replacement Vials with Unlined Caps

$226.00
4 ml PC Vial (Polycarbonate, No Caps)
4 ml Polycarbonate Vials Without Caps

240 Polycarbonate Replacement Vials

$191.00
4 ml Tube (Polyethylene, Lined Caps)
4 ml Polyethylene Vials with Lined Polypropylene Screw Caps

240 Polyethylene Replacement Vials with Lined Caps

$236.00
4 ml Tube (Polypropylene, Unlined Caps)
4 ml Polyethylene Vials with Unlined Polypropylene Screw Caps

240 Polyethylene Replacement Vials with Unlined Caps

$202.00
4 ml Tube (Polyethylene, No Caps)
4 ml Polyethylene Vials Without Caps

240 Polyethylene Replacement Vials

$169.00
50 ml PC Vial
50 ml Polycarbonate Grinding Vials with Silicone Lined Caps

 50 ml Polycarbonate Vials for Homogenizing Large Samples

$407.00

 

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